GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Redshirt freshman Reggie Johnson scored a season-high 22 points against his hometown school and 12th-seeded Miami routed fifth-seeded Wake Forest 83-62 on Thursday in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Johnson was 8-for-8 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line while James Dews added 15 points for the Hurricanes (19-12).
They led by 25, shot nearly 52 percent against one of the league's toughest defenses and made a huge early run stand in advancing to Friday's quarterfinal matchup against fourth-seeded Virginia Tech.
Ishmael Smith had 14 points to lead the Demon Deacons (19-10).
They didn't get closer than 16 in the second half in falling to 0-3 in ACC tournament games under coach Dino Gaudio. They've lost five of six, and that can't help but damage their seeding if not drop them onto the NCAA tournament bubble when Selection Sunday rolls around.