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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A little demotion hasn't slowed down
Wake Forest's Broderick Hicks.
The senior co-captain, who was removed from his starting
position three games ago, went 12-for-13 from the free-throw line
Saturday and scored a career-high 23 points, including eight over
the final 77 seconds, to spark the Demon Deacons (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 24 AP) to an
89-80 victory at Florida State.
Wake Forest (16-6, 6-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 39-28 at
halftime and made 18 of 19 free throws in the second half to keep
control of the game.
Hicks, who scored 19 points in the second half, said he's not
concerned about his new role.
"Whatever I have to do to help my team, that's what I'll do,"
he said. "If that's my role for the rest of the year, I'll be fine
with it."
Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser said he reminded his players at
practice Friday about the importance of free throws, pointing to
Maryland's 25-for-26 performance Thursday in its victory at
Virginia.
"We do spend a lot of time on them," Prosser said. "It's like
the kicking game in football, it really adds up.
"I said, 'Let's do our best to concentrate and shoot
swishes,"' Prosser said.
Wake Forest was almost as good as Maryland, making 26 of 30
Saturday, including 10 straight over the final 2:01 to win its
second league road game in four days.
"Those guys answered every time when we'd cut into the lead,"
Florida State coach Steve Robinson said.
Florida State (10-10, 3-6) has lost three straight and
next plays at Duke on Thursday. The top-ranked Blue Devils will be
looking to avenge their only loss of the season.
"The biggest thing for us right now is between our right ear
and our left ear," Robinson said. "There are no breaks in this
league."
Florida State also continued to have problems defending Darius
Songaila, who scored a career-high 29 points in Wake Forest's 93-72
victory over the Seminoles earlier in the season. Songaila made
eight of nine free throws and finished with 20 points and 10
rebounds Saturday, his 10th double-double of the season.
Josh Howard added 15 points and Craig Dawson had 14 for Wake
Forest, which shot 52.9 percent from the field, including 9-for-17
from 3-point range.
Monte Cummings led Florida State with 23 points, while Delvon
Arrington and Anthony Richardson each added 14. The Seminoles shot
43.7 percent, but were only 9-for-25 from long distance and 9-for-16
in free throws.
"We've got to start putting the ball in the bucket," Arrington
said. | 
