March 8, 2008

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Jeff Teague scored 25 points as Wake Forest beat North Carolina State 78-67 on Saturday.

James Johnson had 19 points and Ishmael Smith had 14 for the Demon Deacons (17-12, 7-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

Gavin Grant scored 16 points, J.J. Hickson had 11 and Brandon Costner 10 for the Wolfpack (15-15, 4-12), who have now lost eight straight entering next week's ACC tournament at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte.

After Wake Forest built a 10-point lead in the second half, N.C. State battled back to cut the gap to two on two occasions, the latest at 60-58 on Grant's layup with 5:25 remaining.

But each time, the Demon Deacons' guards responded. Smith nailed a 3-pointer after Grant's shot to kick off a 7-0 run that put Wake Forest ahead 67-58. The Wolfpack never got closer than six points the rest of the way as the Demon Deacons hit 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes.

Wake Forest went 6-of-9 from the field in the first six minutes to race to an 18-5 lead. Teague scored eight points and Smith had five points and a pair of assists during the run. N.C. State fought back by hitting 7-of-11 while holding the Demon Deacons to just two field goals over the next 9 1/2 minutes. Grant capped the run with an off-balance runner in the lane to tie the score at 22 with 4:32 remaining.

The Demon Deacons took a six-point lead on Johnson's layup and jumper and a pair of Weaver free throws, but Costner's layup and a Trevor Ferguson 3-pointer drew the Wolfpack to 28-27 with 2:11 left.

Teague hit a driving layup and a 3-pointer, and Smith scored on a layup with 30 seconds to play to give the Demon Deacons a 35-29 halftime lead.