Tony Chennault and C.J. Harris each scored 20 points and Wake Forest escaped its first visit to nearby High Point with a 87-83 victory on Wednesday.

Travis McKie added 18 for Wake Forest (6-3), which is trying to put the worst season in ACC history behind it. The Demon Deacons, who were 13-of-22 from 3-point range, are two wins shy of matching their total from all of 2010.

They overcame a brilliant performance from Big South Preseason Player of the Year Nick Barbour, who scored 24 of his 35 points in the second half and finished 7-of-11 from 3-point range. Shay Shine added 19 points for High Point (2-6), which hit 15 3-pointers.

It was the first time the Panthers hosted a BCS conference foe since moving to Division I in 1999. And Wake Forest may think twice about returning to the 1,750-seat Millis Center after it nearly became the third BCS team to fall victim to a Big South member. Presbyterian and Campbell knocked off Cincinnati and Iowa, respectively, earlier this season.

The Panthers trailed by 15 points early in the second half, but Barbour led the comeback. His 3-pointer with 31 seconds left cut the lead to 85-83, but Nikita Mescheriakov and Chennault each split a pair of free throws to seal it.