Harris, McKie lead Wake Forest past Loyola 75-63

Published Nov. 12, 2011 3:28 a.m. ET

foxsports

C.J. Harris scored 20 points, Travis McKie added 19 and Wake Forest beat Loyola (Md.) 75-63 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

The Deacons survived despite suffering through 22-of-46 shooting (47.8 percent) from the free-throw line. They actually shot better from the field, going 24 of 49 (49 percent).

Wake Forest led by as many as 11 in the first half but needed to go on a 7-0 spurt midway through the second half to regain control after Loyola fought back to tie the game 48-48. The Deacons also finished the game with a 12-6 run.

Dylon Cormier led Loyola with 13 points, and Shane Walker and Justin Drummond scored 12 each. The Greyhounds had four players foul out and committed 34 personal fouls for the game.

Wake Forest led 31-26 at halftime, after leading by as many as 11 in the first half. Harris had five points in a 10-0 spurt over a four-minute span late in the half to put Wake up 29-18, but the Greyhounds then scored the last five points of the half to cut the deficit to five.

Loyola then fought back to tie the game at 48-48 on a 3-pointer by Erik Etherly with 10:36 remaining. But the Deacons responded with two free throws by McKie, a free throw from Anthony Fields and baskets from Carson Desrosiers and Nikita Mescheriakov to regain control.

Loyola never got closer than four points again.

Harris, a 6-foot-3 junior, was 6 of 9 from the field but just 6 of 12 from the line. He missed his first five free-throw attempts. McKie, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, shrugged off an ankle sprain and was 5 of 10 from the field and 8 of 12 from the line.

The Deacons suited up just eight scholarship players, including three freshmen. The roster was decimated during the offseason after Ari Stewart transferred, Melvin Tabb was kicked off the team, Ty Walker was suspended for the first semester and J.T. Terrell left the team.

Wake Forest will host Georgia Southern next Wednesday, while Loyola will host Coppin State on Monday.