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Final Score: Wake Forest 54 - NC State 68

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Tracy Smith posted 14 points as NC State downed 23rd-ranked Wake Forest, 68-54, at RBC Center.

Farnold Degand had 13 and C.J. Williams added 12 points for the Wolfpack (15-13, 3-10 ACC), who posted their first conference victory since January 20 over Duke.

"We came out with great energy in the first half and kept it throughout the ballgame," said NC State head coach Sidney Lowe. "We played excellent defense today. Our bigs did a great job on keeping [Ishmael] Smith from penetrating."

Al-Farouq Aminu recorded a game-high 15 points for the Demon Deacons (18-7, 8-5), who have lost two in a row after winning four straight. L.D. Williams and Ishmael Smith scored 12 each, with Williams pulling down 11 boards in defeat.

C.J. Williams' bucket from beyond the arc, his second of the second half, put NC State ahead 42-30 with 12:51 remaining, then Wake Forest went on a 10-4 run to climb within 46-40 on two from the line by Chas McFarland.

L.D. Williams then accounted for the visitors' next three points, but the Wolfpack added 11 of their own to seize control for good. Smith hit a bucket, Degand and Javier Gonzalez nailed treys and Degand finished the burst with a long-distance make for a 57-43 game with 4:13 to play.

Smith's layup brought the Deacons within 57-47 less than a minute later but NC State iced the game from the line down the stretch.

"We got the right shots by the right guys, but we just turned the ball over too much," said Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio. "You can't expect to win on the road doing that. Three of our starters combined for 17 turnovers. Thats just too many."

NC State was in control from the outset, taking leads of 6-3, 14-5 and 21-11 with 5:56 left in the half after Scott Wood knocked down a three.

A Williams layup brought Wake back within 21-15, but Smith's deuce gave the Wolfpack a 28-18 edge at the break.