Record-Breaking Performance Lifts Women's Basketball to Victory
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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (11–3, 1–1 ACC) followed up their tight loss to Miami with a 78–66 victory over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs to cap off 2025. Three Deacs finished in double figures, but sophomore Grace Oliver cemented herself in Wake Forest Women's Basketball lore.
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Just last week, Myles Colvin won high honors for his historic performance against Queens. This week, Grace Oliver has herself in the record books after recording 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while shooting 14-14 from the field.
Not only was Oliver's scoring outburst a career-high (previously 21 points on Nov. 13), but her perfect shooting streak is the program and ACC record for most field goal attempts without a miss. Additionally, Oliver is just one of nine known players in Division I history to shoot 100% and knock down 14 or more shots from the floor—last done by Central Michigan's Tinara Moore in 2016. Only four players have accomplished this feat in the 21st century.
The previous ACC record stood for nearly eight years (Dec. 31, 2017), when Pittsburgh's Kalista Walters went 12-of-12 against Chicago State. Beyond the flawless field goal outing, Grace Oliver also became the first Wake Forest forward to score 30 or more points since Dearica Hamby scored 32 points in 2015.
Continued Excellence
Grace Oliver may have stolen the spotlight—and rightfully so—but the Demon Deacons have much to celebrate regarding their final contest of 2025.
Wake Forest's 10–2 non-conference record is their best since the 2021-2022 season, when they also finished 10–2. On the court, the Deacs continued to assist at a high rate, finishing with 27 assists on 30 made baskets. That 90.0% mark is the best in the Megan Gebbia era and program best since the 2009-2010 season.
The Demon Deacons connected from beyond the arc a season-best 11 times, and were fueled by Aurora Sørbye, who scored exclusively from deep (5-7 3FG). So far this season, the Deacs have made 85 threes, or 6.1 threes per game.
2025 and Beyond
The Demon Deacons had their best start prior to the new year since 2021-2022 (12–2 record). In their three losses, they fell by a combined 8 points, which only adds to the already positive outlook for 2026.
To begin the ACC gauntlet, Wake Forest plays the Pittsburgh Panthers (7–7, 0–1 ACC) in the Steel City on New Year's Day. Then, on Jan. 4, they come back to the Joel for a battle with the 11–1 Syracuse Orange (1–0 ACC).
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Blake is a Sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. When not living on campus, he resides in West Virginia, where he was born and raised. He is studying communication and is invested in all things related to sports media. In his Freshman year, he completed an internship with the National Sports Media Association, and also worked as a sports editor at Wake Forest's student-run newspaper, the Old Gold & Black. Currently, Blake does play-by-play broadcasting for Wake Forest Club Ice Hockey and holds a job at Learfield, working as a studio host. In a perfect world, he would spend his free time road tripping and attending concerts all across the United States.
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