NEW ORLEANS -- There isn’t much more a team can do to lose a game than Wake Forest did Thursday night.
The Deacons blew an 11-point first half lead. They blew a 12-point second half lead. They traveled on an inbounds play with a one-point lead and 13.6 seconds to go in regulation. They gave up the first eight points of overtime.
All that, for a team that hadn’t won an NCAA tournament game since 2005?
And yet the Deacons are moving on after Ish Smith’s jumper with 1.3 seconds to play gave ninth-seeded Wake Forest an 81-80 win over eight-seeded Texas, coach Dino Gaudio’s first in five tries in the postseason.
"They did a great job keeping me out of the lane, so I knew I had to pull up," Smith said. "Thank God I made a big shot."
Smith had 19 points and Al-Farouq Aminu 20 for the Deacons (20-10), who won for only the second time in the past seven games. That’s still better than eighth-seeded Texas (24-10), which went from undefeated and No. 1 in the country to oblivion with a 7-10 finish.
Wake is now 5-0 in overtime this season, with wins over Xavier, Richmond, Maryland, Virginia and Texas.
"We're not the prettiest team in the world and we don't always shoot the ball straight, but we play pretty good defense," Gaudio said.
Wake Forest led by only one when L.D.Williams blocked Gary Johnson’s layup with 15 seconds to go in regulation. After the ensuing jump ball, Williams inexplicably traveled while inbounding the ball under the Texas basket, giving the Longhorns a chance to win on the final possession.
But Damion James, fouled by Chas McFarland, made only one free throw and the Deacons turned the ball over while trying to get off a game-winner, sending the game to overtime.
Texas scored the first eight points of overtime, but Ari Stewart’s 3-pointer from the corner pulled Wake back within one with 15.9 seconds to play. Johnson missed a pair of free throws to give Smith the chance to win it -- and he did.
"You look at his ACC 3-point stats, whoo," Gaudio said. "Not very good. You look at his free-throw stats, not very good. But he makes big shots."
Their reward is a spot in Saturday’s late game against No. 1 seed Kentucky, an easy 100-71 winner over East Tennessee State earlier Thursday.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 829-8947 or 
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It will be nice when spring
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 14:16 — unc098It will be nice when spring break is over and a certain someone is required to do something else besides buzz this board
UNC98!!
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 15:15 — bluecat69bluecat69U BETTER QUIT PICKING ON MAMBY, HE CAN BUZZ THIS BOARD ANYTIME, BY THE WAY U REALLY LOOKED CUTE IN YOUR BLUEDEVILTIGHTS THE OTHER NITE, GO DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
so
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 21:30 — gvillegatrwhat is the count up to now in how many of us you have seen with the duike blue tights on??
it is at least 5.
do you get pleasure out of seeing men in tights!? ...
Dear Rick Barnes, I'll be
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 00:53 — Heels20Dear Rick Barnes,
I'll be blunt. I hate you. So why am I taking the time around 2 AM (not even committing a BUI) to say this? Well, I have many reasons.
1. Your hatred for Carolina. What's your all-time record against the Heels, 3-11? You act like some superior figure to us despite the fact that you rarely beat us head-to-head.
2. Lots of people hate Carolina, but why do I choose to single you out? The answer: You turned down the job at NC State. Come on, you could have made Tobacco Road a little more interesting. Sure, as I stated before, you have had minimal success against Carolina, but you built up a stronger resume at Texas and could have shown what you can really do if you came to State. And, of course, we could have slapped you around some more.
3. This is by far the most important reason. You killed my bracket by losing to a sorry Wake Forest team that can't even beat itself (vulgarity intended). You had a national championship-caliber front-court, and guards who were at least good enough to work with. Did you mistakenly call over to SMU and ask Matt Doherty for advice on how to succeed with loads of talent? If you were imitating Doherty, then I would like to nominate you for an Academy Award.
I have always loved Texas athletics, and despite my hatred for you, that includes Texas basketball. That has been ruined now. Texas can now be considered a bracket buster in the negative sense, thanks to you. Because you are atrociously overpaid, I suggest you take your undeserved salary and use some of it to fix your lazy eye so you can at least look like a sane human being. Enjoy the off-season and bask in the glory of living in the shadow of Mack Brown.
Sincerely,
Heels "I hate Rick Barnes" 20
That about says it all I
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 14:14 — unc098That about says it all I would say. I always disliked Barnes at Clemson for his palpable hatred of Carolina and the dirty play that characterized his teams. I was actually glad to see him move on to Texas and I wonder how he and Mack Brown get along. Seeing him suffer with this take down by the lowly Deacs. is very satisfying.
i know jpd doesnt stay up this late
Thu, 03/18/2010 - 23:57 — gvillegatrbut what a justified finish for the Deacs. they were dog meat 1 min in to OT only to perservere and take the game back.
heck, I may even root for DUIke to win their 1st round game!! lol.
that a boy g-alligator!!
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 08:25 — bluecat69bluecat69u have finally come to your senses, rooting forDUKE, i will get u a pair ob bluedevil tights to wear like unc-98 wears when he is cheering for DUKE, OK , GO DUKE!!!!!!!!
Deacs
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 02:25 — LetsGoPittWhat a finish!!! Ish came to play, that's for sure. I picked Wake in all my brackets, who would pick slumping Texas? :)
Hey, Texas beat Pitt back in December.
And before you get all over the Big East, Marquette was losing to Washington (Pac-10 on home turf) and ND sucks in the NCAA's: Harangody scored a total of 38 points in his 4 career NCAA games. We hate the irish anyway, so wanted ODU to win. As for Georgetown, that may be the biggest upset of all. Did Hoyas beat Duke by 20?
As for Wake, if they beat Kentucky.....
hosed
Thu, 03/18/2010 - 23:19 — gvillegatris all i can say.
James walked on the last real possession of regulation and it was not called. Then his shot is blocked by McFarland and they call a foul (?) on the guy in front of him of which there was no contact.
what a piss poor zebra job this evening.
-G-GATOR!!
Fri, 03/19/2010 - 08:28 — bluecat69bluecat69ALL U EVER DO IS COMPLAIN ABOUT REFS, HAVE U EVER SEEN A GAME WHERE THE REFS CALLED A GOOD GAME??? GO DUKE!!!!!!!!!
4 straight possessions
Thu, 03/18/2010 - 22:53 — gvillegatrPittman fouled a Deac after his 4th foul and there was no call. then they skipped a possession and Pittman fouled the shooter under the basket and they call it on another guy was standing there. unbelievable.
c'mon
Thu, 03/18/2010 - 22:22 — gvillegatri'd like to see the ACC 1-0 after todays game. that would be a heck of a lot better than our friends to the North in the Big Least!! LOL.
Wake
Thu, 03/18/2010 - 22:01 — LetsGoPittPlease, Wake, please close the season on a high note with a win tonight! Consecutive flame outs look ugly.
Luke: can you open a column on the brackets so we can all comment and chat about our brackets?