WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Tenth-ranked Wake Forest (19-4, 9-3 ACC) rallied back from an eight-point, second-half deficit and used a prayer from freshman point guard Justin Gray to hold on against Virginia (14-11, 5-8), 75-71.
With one minute and 44 seconds left and the score tied at 68, the Deacons came out of a timeout with only three seconds remaining on the shot clock.
Gray took the inbounds pass and heaved up a shot from the left wing that miraculously banked in, giving Wake Forest a 71-68 edge.
"I knew we only had three ticks to get a shot, but I guess that's why you pray at night," Gray said. "I knew I got it off in time but I wasn't sure it was going in. And I didn't even call 'glass.'"
The shot by the 6-foot-2 guard, who is playing in only his fourth game back after missing eight with a broken jaw, came over the outstretched hands of 6-foot-8 Virginia forward Jason Clark.
"That was a huge play," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "His bank shot was one hell of a shot. It's a tough shot, and it's just part of the game. We had our best defender on him and he still banked it in from 23 feet."
Virginia junior guard Todd Billet hit one of two free throws on the ensuing possession and then came up with a loose rebound on the other end, giving Virginia a chance to tie or take the lead.
But Billet, who finished with a team-high 25 points, lost control of the ball on Virginia's next possession.
Virginia sophomore forward Elton Brown and Wake Forest guard Taron Downey both grabbed the loose ball, but the alternating possession arrow went to the Deacons.
Two free throws by Deacon sophomore forward Vytas Danelius put the game out of reach for Virginia -- the fourth straight loss for the Cavaliers.
The Deacons shot nearly 70 percent from the floor in the second half after managing only 32.3 percent in the first half.
Wake Forest All-American candidate Josh Howard carried the Deacons in the second half, scoring 17 of his game-high 28 in the half. Howard scored 10 of the Deacons' last 21 points as well.
"Josh Howard made two huge plays at the end," Gillen said. "He's a 6-6 All-American. He's the top player in the ACC and definitely in the top three or four in the nation."
The Cavaliers finished shooting 52 percent from the field but scored only three points in the last three and a half minutes.
"They played good 'D' down the stretch, but we got a couple of good looks," Gillen said. "Our kids gave what they could give."
Virginia led 35-30 at the half despite 13 turnovers, and sophomore Devin Smith hit a three out of the gate to extend the lead to eight.
But the Deacons rallied back, hitting eight of their first 11 shots.
Brown had 14 second-half points and finished with a season-high nine rebounds.
Billet reached 25 points by shooting 8-for-15 from the floor in his 35 minutes of action. He scored 23 points in the two teams' first meeting.
This loss hurts Virginia's NCAA tournament hopes, as the Cavaliers were trying to bounce back from their first two home losses of the season.
Virginia senior Travis Watson did not start and played only 19 minutes, scoring three points and grabbing a season-low four rebounds. Watson missed his start for skipping class and another commitment.
"We have rules and standards at Virginia," Gillen said. "Other schools could care less. We try to do things a different way, and that was it."
Virginia will travel to Ohio University Wednesday night and return to ACC play at Florida State Saturday.
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