CLEMSON, S.C. - Josh Howard scored 18 points and led a 17-4 second-half run as No. 17 Wake Forest beat Clemson for the eighth time in nine games, 81-60, Tuesday night. <br>
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Vytas Danelius had a career-high 21 points and sophomore Taron Downey added 18, including four 3-pointers, for the Demon Deacons (14-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). <br>
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Clemson's only win in the series since 1999 was a nail-biting, 118-115 double-overtime thriller here a year ago. And with Wake Forest playing for the third time since Thursday night, the Tigers seemed a to have a solid chance in this one, too. <br>
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But after halftime, the Deacons showed why they're the ACC's second-leading offense this season and Howard is a candidate for league player of the year. <br>
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Chey Christie drew the Tigers (11-5, 1-5) to 42-37 with 16:15 left. Danelius had Wake's ninth 3-pointer - its most in the ACC this season - and Howard added a jam during the charge. When Howard hit two free throws to close the run, Wake Forest led 59-41 with 8:38 left. <br>
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Edward Scott and Christie made consecutive 3-pointers with 5:10 left to bring Clemson within 66-52. But that's as close as it got the rest of the way. <br>
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Howard was just 4-for-13 from the field goals, but was 7-of-10 from the free throw line and grabbed rebounds. <br>
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The Tigers looked like a club on the rise when they opened the season 9-0. But they have lost five of seven since. <br>
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Scott and Christie each had 14 points for Clemson. <br>
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Downey and Howard combined for seven of Wake's eight 3-pointers in the first half. <br>
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They each hit two from behind the arc after the Deacons missed their first five shots and had fallen behind 8-2 before the first media timeout. <br>
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By the time Downey rattled in his third 3-pointer with about five minutes to go before halftime, Wake Forest had recovered to lead 30-23. Howard's third 3 in the half made it 35-28. <br>
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It was the 200th career victory for Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser, who has spent 10 years as a head coach at Loyola, Md.; Xavier and, for the last two seasons, the Demon Deacons.
