Demon Deacons deal
Houston upset

Wake Forest can win the Ala Moana Paradise Classic title when it plays Hawaii today after upsetting No. 15 Houston yesterday 65-57 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Demon Deacons extended their season-opening winning streak to eight consecutive games and ended Houston's at nine.

Wake Forest (8-0) meets the Rainbow Wahine (3-3) at 4 p.m.

The Demon Deacons used a 15-0 spurt in the first half to build a lead, then turned back all Houston (9-1) challenges in the second half despite not scoring for the first 6 minutes after intermission.

"We were flat to start the second half, got away from what we do best," said Wake Forest coach Mike Petersen. "Joe (Curl, Houston coach) did a lot better job with his team at halftime.

"We are a team that runs and when you take 23 3-pointers a game, there will be some ebbs and flows. The Cougars slowed things down and got us out of our offense."

The teams ran quick transition games at each other from the start, but some timely defense and cold shooting left the score tied at 16-16 after 10:35 had elapsed.

Houston scored 12 of its first 14 points in the paint, but managed just two more from in close the final 12 minutes of the opening half. Wake Forest attacked from beyond the arc early. Erin Ferrell made the first trey for the Demon Deacons, then they misfired on the next seven attempts before Porsche Jones connected to cut the Houston lead to 16-14. Two free throws by Liz Strunk tied it at 16-all with 9:25 to go.

Suddenly, nothing went right for the Cougars as the turnovers and missed shots mounted. The Demon Deacons took full advantage and ran off 15 unanswered points for a 31-16 lead en route to a 13-point margin (33-20) at the half.

"That run didn't hurt. The key for us was they spread the court, not only across, but length wise because we have some serious height issues," said Petersen.

After the Cougars rallied to tie the score at 36-36 at the 13:04 mark, Cotelia Bond-Young hit two treys on consecutive WFU trips down the court and the closest Houston came after that was a four-point deficit with 23 seconds left.

The Demon Deacons maintained control by making eight consecutive free throws in the final 39 seconds.

"When you are ahead and your players make free throws, it is a lot easier to hold the lead," said Petersen.

Jones topped Wake Forest with 18 points. Sancho Lyttle scored 27 for Houston.