Monsanto scores 28, Wake Forest rolls past Notre Dame 81-64
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Damari Monsanto scored a career-high 28 points, making eight 3-pointers — also a career high — and Wake Forest defeated Notre Dame 81-64 on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Monsanto made 8 of 13 from distance and also grabbed seven rebounds. His three 3-pointers in the first half were the only 3-point makes for either team.
Wake Forest hit on 6 of 7 3-pointers in the first 5:02 of the second half, building a 13-point lead when Daivien Williamson hit a 3-pointer for a 47-34 advantage.
Marcus Hammond finally hit Notre Dame's first 3-pointer with 13:47 remaining. Nate Laszewski added two more 3-pointers, but the Fighting Irish were still down by eight with 8:31 remaining, 60-52. Tyree Appleby then hit a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to put the Demon Deacons up by 13 again.
Monsanto's seventh 3-pointer gave Wake Forest a 17-point lead with 4:27 remaining. His eighth 3 gave the Demon Deacons a 17-point lead again and capped the scoring with 41 seconds to go.
Appleby had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Wake Forest (15-9, 7-6 ACC) and Bobi Klintman scored 10. Wake Forest shot 58.6% in the second half, with 11 of 19 3-pointers, and scored 50 points. For the game, the Demon Deacons shot 52.7% and connected on 14 of 30 3-pointers.
Laszewski led Notre Dame (10-13, 2-10) with 18 points, Cormac Ryan added 12 and Hammond scored 10.
Notre Dame, which averages 9.3 made 3-pointers per game, missed its first eight in the first half and finished 4 for 21. The Fighting Irish had only four turnovers, three of them by Ryan.
The Fighting Irish hit 7 of their first 14 shots, including 7 of 11 inside the 3-point arc, and built a 16-4 lead. But Notre Dame missed its next eight attempts and Wake Forest rallied to get within 22-20 with 3:55 remaining in the half. The Demon Deacons took a 25-24 lead on a 3-pointer by Monsanto, his third of the half, and later a layup by Cameron Hildreth gave them a 27-26 lead at the break. Monsanto was the only player for either team to make a 3-pointer in the first half.
Wake Forest won at Notre Dame for just the second time in seven trips to South Bend. Notre Dame leads the series 8-7 overall.
___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
College Basketball 2025-2026 Buzz: Darryn Peterson Declares For NBA Draft
2026 NBA Draft Declarations Tracker: Duke's Cameron Boozer Declares
Ranking the Top 20 Players in the Men's College Basketball Transfer Portal
Top 25 college athletes with highest NIL valuations
Men's College Basketball Rankings: Illinois, Duke Highlight Way-Too-Early Top 25
Top 10 men's college basketball players with highest NIL valuations
Cooper Flagg talks NIL, Finances and New Partnership
Who are the 10 best Duke basketball players of all time?
NCAA Tourney Star Braylon Mullins Opts To Stay at UConn, Chase National Title
College Basketball 2025-2026 Buzz: Darryn Peterson Declares For NBA Draft
2026 NBA Draft Declarations Tracker: Duke's Cameron Boozer Declares
Ranking the Top 20 Players in the Men's College Basketball Transfer Portal
Top 25 college athletes with highest NIL valuations
Men's College Basketball Rankings: Illinois, Duke Highlight Way-Too-Early Top 25
Top 10 men's college basketball players with highest NIL valuations
Cooper Flagg talks NIL, Finances and New Partnership
Who are the 10 best Duke basketball players of all time?
NCAA Tourney Star Braylon Mullins Opts To Stay at UConn, Chase National Title
