WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. _ You can't explain the unexplainable.
Wake Forest has lost at home to Houston Baptist, Gardner-Webb and Richmond this season. The Demon Deacons were winless in three ACC games.
And then N.C. State came to Winston-Salem. Bad things usually happen, in both football and basketball, when N.C. State comes to this tobacco town.
They did again on Tuesday.
The Demon Deacons played their best game of the season with a 71-67 upset of No. 17 N.C. State. Freshman Jaylen Hoard scored 16 points to lead the charge and grad transfer Torry Johnson closed it out with four clutch points in the final 78 seconds.
But it was a bad combination of defensive indifference and poor shooting that dug N.C. State a sizable hole.
The absence of point guard Markell Johnson, who missed the game with a hip injury, didn't help but it's always something in this building.
Coach Kevin Keatts' first Wolfpack team won here last season but N.C. State (14-3, 2-2 ACC) has lost six of the past seven trips to Joel Coliseum and 11 of 15. If you want to go back to the 1990-91 season, N.C. State has lost 23 of 29 games here.
Wake (8-8, 1-3) has had some very good teams over that span but recent versions only seem to shine when the Wolfpack comes to town.
The Deacs entered the game last in the ACC in adjusted defensive efficiency. A zone was their salvation on Tuesday with State's offense settling for quick 3-pointers.
The Wolfpack started just 1 of 14 from the 3-point line and fell into a 42-27 hole by the half.
Wake's lead ballooned to 22 (51-29 at 17:31) and the Deacs led 56-39 before N.C. State made its move.
The Wolfpack held Wake without a point for more than 6 minutes and was able to tie the game at 58 with 7:46 left.
But Wake never trailed and then was able to get Johnson, a reserve who averages 5.4 points per game, to close the game out.
Johnson's jumper with 1:18 left gave Wake a 69-66 lead. C.J. Bryce made one of two free throws on State's next possession.
With 13.3 seconds left, Johnson (11 points) made a pair of free throws to seal the win.
