ACC Basketball: Wake Forest 64, Virginia 61

Associated PressCHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. — Ishmael Smith scored 15 points and dished out five assists to lead Wake Forest to a 64-61 overtime win over Virginia on Saturday.

Al-Farouq Aminu had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Demon Deacons (16-5, 6-3 ACC), who improved to 4-0 in overtime games this season.

"I just thought it was a hard-fought ACC game," Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio said. "We're very fortunate to win. I just thought Virginia's kids played really, really hard. I thought our kids played very hard. Coin toss, anyone could have won that basketball game."

Virginia (14-7, 5-3) was led by Sylven Landesberg's 28 points. Mike Scott was the only other Virginia player to score in double figures with 10 points — none in the second half.

Wake Forest, which outscored Virginia 9-6 in the overtime, moved into third place in the ACC behind Duke and Maryland.

The Demon Deacons shot 48 percent from the field, holding Virginia to 34 percent. Wake Forest outrebounded Virginia by 12.

"I know Tony's kids are a terrific box-out team," Gaudio said. "They don't give out many second shots. Tony Woods came in and gave us some really good second shots.

Wake Forest trailed for much of the game. The Demon Deacons didn't take their first lead until over five minutes of the second half had elapsed.

In the final minute of regulation, Wake Forest took a 55-53 lead on a layup by Smith. Virginia answered with a strong drive to the basket by Landesberg, which resulted in a goaltending call.

With under five seconds remaining, Smith missed a long jumper that could have won it for the Demon Deacons.

In the second half, the lead changed five times before Wake Forest opened up a 48-43 lead after back-to-back hoops by center Tony Woods, the second coming off a pretty set up from Smith.

Virginia tied the game at 52-52 with 5:10 left after a left-handed three-point play by Landesberg before Wake Forest went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a C.J. Harris three-point play to take a 53-48 advantage.

But the Cavaliers responded with a 5-0 spurt of their own to tie the game when freshman Jontel Evans split a pair of free throws.

Virginia led 34-29 at halftime.

After getting manhandled by Wake Forest two weeks ago, Bennett said he was more pleased with his team's effort this time around.

"We played better," Bennett said. "I told our guys, 'Keep your head up. It's about the quality.' It was a better performance."