Wake Forest Edges Pitt 76-74 in Thrilling ACC Showdown

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Cameron Hildreth scored 24 points, including 17 in the second half, to lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to a narrow 76-74 victory over the Pitt Panthers on Saturday at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Wake Forest (16-6, 8-3 ACC), while Pitt (14-7, 5-5) extended its struggles, losing for the fifth time in seven games.

Hildreth, who had been battling flu-like symptoms and scored just six points combined in his previous two games, found his rhythm after halftime. He and teammate Hunter Sallis, who added 13 points, combined for 20 consecutive points during a critical stretch in the second half. Ty-Laur Johnson also contributed with 12 of his season-high 16 points after the break.

Pitt was led by Damian Dunn, who scored a season-high 24 points, and Ishmael Leggett, who added 16. Despite their efforts, the Panthers fell to 0-7 all-time at Wake Forest. Jaland Lowe chipped in 14 points for Pitt, which struggled early, missing 10 of its first 13 shots.

Wake Forest capitalized on Pitt’s slow start, building a 20-11 lead with a 15-4 run. However, the Panthers responded with seven straight points to cut the deficit to two. Dunn’s late first-half 3-pointer gave Pitt a 36-34 edge at halftime.

The Demon Deacons came out strong in the second half, using an 11-2 surge to regain the lead. Hildreth’s 3-pointer off an offensive rebound extended Wake Forest’s advantage to 53-45. Pitt fought back, with Guillermo Diaz Graham hitting a 3-pointer and finishing a fastbreak dunk to narrow the gap to 53-52.

In the final minutes, Sallis and Hildreth took control. Sallis hit a crucial 3-pointer to give Wake Forest a three-point lead, and Hildreth sealed the win with a fastbreak dunk off a defensive rebound, pushing the Demon Deacons’ lead to 70-65 with less than a minute remaining.

The victory keeps Wake Forest in contention in the ACC standings, while Pitt continues to search for consistency as the season progresses.