Wake Forest 96, Xavier 92 (2OT): Demon Deacons Win Inaugural Skip Prosser Classic

Read more at our Demon Deacon blog, Blogger So Dear.

January 3, 2010 -Winston-Salem, NC (Sports Network) - Ishmael Smith and Al-Farouq Aminu combined for 54 points as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons edged the Xavier Musketeers, 96-92, in double overtime in the inaugural Skip Prosser Classic at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

Smith scored 28 points and dealt out nine assists for the Demon Deacons (11-2), who have won seven straight. Aminu added 26 points and 18 rebounds. C.J. Harris added 15 points and L.D. Williams 10 points. Chas McFarland pulled down 14 rebounds.

Jordan Crawford scored 30 points for Xavier (8-5), which saw a two-game winning streak end. Jamel McLean provided 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Terrell Holloway scored 13 points.

The Musketeers led by five with 1:01 left in the first half before taking a 43-41 halftime advantage. Xavier helped itself by making 14-of-16 free-throw attempts.

Wake Forest used a 14-3 run to take a 59-49 lead with 13:29 left in regulation. Xavier fought back to tie the game at 65 with 7:27 left and neither team led by more than four for the rest of the evening. Regulation play ended in a 78-78 tie after Crawford missed a three-pointer for the Musketeers with :02 left.

Smith hit a three-pointer for Wake Forest with :26 left in the first overtime to tie the game at 85. Holloway missed a layup with :02 remaining that would have given the Musketeers the win.

In the second overtime, Smith hit a jumper with 3:08 left to give the Demon Deacons the lead for good.

The game was the first in what will be a 10-year home-and-home series between these two schools, arranged in honor of the late Skip Prosser, who spent six years as the head coach at Wake Forest before his death from a heart attack in July of 2007 at age 56. Prior to coming to Wake Forest, Prosser spent seven seasons at Xavier.

Prosser also spent one season at Loyola-Maryland, In 14 seasons as a head coach, he won 291 games.