Wake Forest Basketball Surges Past UMES in the Second Half
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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are officially 1-0 on the season after using a big second half to blow past Maryland Eastern Shore at the Joel. Wake led this one by seven after the first half of play and then won the second half by 14. Let's go through some of the highlights from this one.
Getting Out in Transition
One thing is clear: this team is at its best when it gets out and runs in transition. Point guard Kevair Kennedy is extremely quick and has great court vision while pushing the ball up the court. He was able to find open shooters on several occasions and take it to the rim himself for baskets at the rim. Kev finished with a full stat line of 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. He also got to the free-throw line 12 times and made eight of them.
Justin Ray also was key in the transition attack as well. He finished with 15 points on a very efficient 5-for-6 from the field. Guard Jamari McDowell was also on the floor healthy tonight after suffering an injury earlier in the fall. That was a very positive sign, and he finished with 11 points in 19 minutes.
Placide Brothers Make Waves
Some more defense ➡️ offense from @Gav1placide 💪 pic.twitter.com/D9uMSwGsPr
— Wake Forest Men's Basketball (@WakeMBB) November 3, 2026
This was the first official college basketball game for Gavin and Gallagher Placide, and they both had very strong showings, especially for being freshmen. Gavin had a nice touch around the rim and could finish through contact and draw fouls. He was extremely efficient, as he finished with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Gavin is an obvious force underneath and just moves so well for someone his size. He is definitely a guy to watch going forward.
Gavin's brother Gallagher also really stood out positively in this one, especially in the second half. He finished with 13 points and knocked down a three at a big moment in the second half. His versatility is clear, and he was actively trying to get in the paint and make moves.
Overall, there were a lot of positives and some negatives in this one. It is still so early in the season, and this team will face their first real test when they travel to play Vanderbilt this Thursday at 6 pm. Vanderbilt is a nationally ranked team and won their opening game against a lesser opponent in very convincing fashion. It should be interesting to see how the Deacs come out in that one.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.