Duncan’s the Man for Wake : East: Sophomore center has 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocks as Demon Deacons hold off St. Louis, 64-59.

Randolph Childress didn’t look like himself on the court and he didn’t sound like himself after the game because of a bad cold.

Wake Forest will continue playing in the NCAA tournament, however, because Tim Duncan was definitely himself. He was the only big man on the court, and did everything necessary to help the top-seeded Demon Deacons escape with a 64-59 second-round victory over ninth-seeded St. Louis on Saturday in an East Regional second-round game.

The 6-foot-11 sophomore had 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. But more importantly, he kept the Billikens far from the basket, and they had trouble with their best weapon--the three-point shot.

“When you have to rely on a jump shot every single time, you’re not going to win,” St. Louis’ Scott Highmark said. “We couldn’t get within 10 feet of the basket because of Duncan. He was the difference the whole game. He was always standing there.”

His presence was never more obvious than when he pinned a shot by David Robinson to the backboard, took off downcourt and dunked at the other end for a 59-52 lead with 3:01 to play.

“No doubt that was the key play,” Wake Forest Coach Dave Odom said. “If they get that basket, the pressure is really on us. Great plays are made by great players at great moments, and that’s what you saw there.”

With the victory, Wake Forest (26-5) advanced to the regional semifinals for the second time since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The first was in 1993.

The Demon Deacons’ 12th consecutive victory sent the Atlantic Coast Conference champions to East Rutherford, N.J., where they will play fourth-seeded Oklahoma State on Friday night.

St. Louis (23-8) spread the floor on offense and used an effective array of zones on defense to stay within hailing distance.

The Billikens came in shooting 40% from three-point range but made only nine of 39 Saturday.

The 39 attempts were two shy of the NCAA tournament record set by Loyola Marymount in 1990.