WINSTON SALEM, N.C. (AP) – Imani Wright made nine 3-pointers and scored 31 points, Shakayla Thomas added 28, including all six of Florida State’s points in overtime, and the 12th-ranked Seminoles rallied from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Wake Forest 81-79 on Thursday night.
Wright’s career-high ninth triple came with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 75. Ariel Stephenson, who led Wake Forest with 21 points, missed a close-range shot at the end of regulation.
With Thomas and Wright scoring six points apiece, Florida State (17-2, 5-1 ACC) had a 17-2 run early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 59 with 6 1/2 minutes left.
Once they got to overtime it was a struggle. Thomas scored on FSU’s first two possessions but the Seminoles missed the next seven shots before Thomas scored with 33 seconds left.
The Demon Deacons (10-9, 2-4) went 1 of 5 in the extra session and had two turnovers. However, after Thomas’ final basket made it a three-point game and both teams had empty possessions, Wright fouled Ivan Raca on a 3-point attempt with a second left. She made her first free throw but missed the second, forcing her to miss the third on purpose.
Thomas had 11 rebounds for FSU and Ama Degbeon also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.
Ona Udoh made her first nine shots before missing her last one and had a career-high 19 points for Wake Forest.
POST-GAME NOTES
• Shakayla Thomas’ 28 points and 11 rebounds marked her 15th career double-double. She totaled 26 points and eight rebounds in the second half and overtime.
• Imani Wrig¬¬ht’s nine 3-point field goals breaks her own school record of eight that she set vs. UNC on Dec. 31. Her 31 points scored is her second 30-point game of her career, only eclipsed by the 33 points she scored against UNC.
• FSU recorded its first overtime win since defeating Purdue 67-64 in OT on Dec. 3, 2014.
• FSU was down by as many as 15 points with 9:43 left in the game.
• Ama Degbeon picked up her fourth double-double, including her second straight, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Degbeon recorded three crucial rebounds in the overtime period.
• Redshirt senior point guard AJ Alix missed Thursday’s game due to illness.
• Florida State won its fourth consecutive game over the Demon Deacons on Thursday evening. FSU is now 11-11 all-time at Wake Forest and has won eight of its last 10 on the road vs. the Demon Deacons.
• FSU improves to 8-2 on the road this season.
• Nausia Woolfolk made her first career start against Wake Forest on Thursday night.
