Gavin Placide, Kevair Kennedy propel Wake Forest to 83-62 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in opener

Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP) — Freshman point guard Gavin Placide led Wake Forest to a 83-62 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore in their season opener on Monday night. Placide put up 20 points, while teammate Kevair Kennedy came close to achieving a triple-double before falling short.

Placide showcased his shooting prowess, sinking 8 of his 11 attempts and grabbing seven rebounds. Kennedy added 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and four steals, falling just short of a triple-double. Justin Ray contributed 15 points for Wake Forest, with reserve Gallagher Placide adding 13. Jamari McDowell contributed 11 points for Wake Forest, while Bobby Gardner led the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks with 30 points, hitting four three-pointers. Isaiah Griffin added 10 points for the Hawks.

Wake Forest started strong, taking a 9-2 lead at the end of the first half. With 3:46 left before halftime, the lead grew to 40-22 due to a 3-pointer by Jamari McDowell. An 11-0 run by Wake Forest, capped off by Victor Ezeh's 3-pointer, extended their lead to 40-33 at the break. The Hawks continued to push back, starting with Bobby Gardner's 3-pointer to make it 46-36 in the second half, but McDowell's layup and Placide's two baskets put Wake Forest ahead 46-36 less than three minutes into the second half.