WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Interstat) — Grace Oliver scored 19 points and Raven Preston converted a crucial free throw with four seconds remaining as Wake Forest held off a furious second-half rally from North Carolina Central to secure a 68-65 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Joel Memorial Coliseum.

The Demon Deacons, who led by as many as 16 points, saw their lead nearly vanish in the final minutes but improved to 5-0 on the season. The Eagles, despite a valiant comeback effort, fell to 1-4.

Wake Forest appeared to be in complete control after a dominant first quarter, outscoring North Carolina Central 27-15. The Demon Deacons maintained a 42-31 advantage at halftime, but the Eagles slowly chipped away throughout the second half.

North Carolina Central’s defense intensified after the break, forcing Wake Forest into difficult shots and capitalizing on turnovers. A driving layup by Aniya Finger with 31 seconds left in the game brought the Eagles within a single point at 67-66, setting up a tense finish.

On the ensuing possession, Wake Forest’s Milan Brown missed a layup, but a foul was called on North Carolina Central’s Tierney Coleman while fighting for the rebound. Raven Preston was sent to the line and made the first free throw to extend the lead to 68-66. She missed the second attempt, and the Eagles secured the rebound with a chance to tie or win.

Out of a timeout, North Carolina Central’s Aysia Hinton turned the ball over on the inbound pass, and Preston came up with a steal. Preston was immediately fouled and returned to the line, where she split another pair of free throws to make it 68-66 with four seconds on the clock. The Eagles’ last-second, full-court heave was unsuccessful, allowing Wake Forest to escape.

Oliver’s 19 points led all scorers for the Demon Deacons. Preston finished with 13 points, while Mary Carter added 11 points. Brown facilitated the offense with a game-high seven assists.

Morgan Callahan led the charge for North Carolina Central with 19 points and nine rebounds. Tierney Coleman provided a significant spark off the bench, scoring 15 of her team’s 26 points off turnovers. Nia Young also contributed 13 points for the Eagles.

Despite the close final score, the game was a statistical oddity. Both teams committed 21 turnovers, but North Carolina Central was more effective at converting them, scoring 26 points off Wake Forest’s mistakes compared to 20 for the Demon Deacons.

Wake Forest dominated inside, outscoring North Carolina Central 42-24 in the paint. However, the Demon Deacons struggled from beyond the arc, making just 3 of 21 three-point attempts. Both teams also had difficulties at the free-throw line; Wake Forest shot 15 for 27, while North Carolina Central was 14 for 22.

The announced attendance was 966. Wake Forest will look to remain undefeated when it hosts Western Carolina on Sunday. North Carolina Central will seek to get back to .500 on the road against Old Dominion, also on Sunday.