Juke Harris scores 31 points and Wake Forest beats Cal.

Juke Harris poured in 31 points and Wake Forest overcame a miserable start to beat visiting California 80-73 on Saturday to close the regular season in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Mekhi Mason and Omaha Biliew each had 10 points for the Demon Deacons (16-15, 7-11 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won their last four home games.

For Cal (21-10, 9-9), Dai Dai Ames had 31 points with Harris and Justin Pippen finished with 17 points before fouling out in the final minute. The Golden Bears desperately needed a positive result to give themselves much of a chance at advancing to the NCAA Tournament. As a team, they finished 8-for-29 on 3-point attempts, their second loss in their last six games.

Harris scored 20 points for the 17th time this season. He was the catalyst for the comeback as Wake Foerst overcame a double-digit deficit.

Back-to-back 3s from Harris pulled the Demon Deacons within 42-39. Wake Forest took its first lead when Harris scored with 13:39 left on the drive.

Wake Forest went on a 14-0 run to push the lead to 58-45.

But Cal finally rallied after falling behind by 13 points and cut the gap to 62-61 with more than 4 1/2 minutes left in the game. Harris hit a jumper with Wake Forest ahead 68-64. After Cooper Schwieger’s jump shot made it 72-68, the Bears struggled in the final seconds.

Wake Forest, which found itself in a 15-point hole, got within 35-29 before taking a 37-29 lead at halftime. Wake Forest made six field goals (2 of 3 from 3-point range) in the first half and was 15-for-19 on free throws.

The Demon Deacons had just five points in the first 10 minutes of the game and the Bears jumped out to an 18-5 lead. Harris scored 10 of Wake Forest’s first 22 points.

Wake Forest’s Tre’Von Spillers was fouled with 2:45 to play on an illegal screen, but Cal did not score on the ensuing possession.

–Field level media