Wilmington University Men's and Women's Basketball

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SUBJECT: Wilmington Men’s Basketball Slotted Fourth in CACC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll

DATE: November 2, 2017
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Coming off the best season in its NCAA era, the Wilmington University men’s basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division as the conference office released the 2017-18 CACC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.

The 14 head coaches across the CACC gave the Wildcats 61 total points, ranking fourth in the South Division. They went a program best 19-10 overall last season, going 14-5 in the CACC to finish second in the South Division.

Reigning CACC South Division Regular Season Champion Jefferson repeats atop the coaches poll, gaining all 14 first place votes for 98 total points. Goldey-Beacom earned 70 points to sit in second place while the University of the Sciences was picked to finish third with 66 points. The Wildcats round out the expected playoff competitors from the South Division.

Holy Family collected 41 points for fifth place while Chestnut Hill earned 37 points for fifth. Georgian Court rounds out the South Division in seventh place with 18 points.

Defending CACC North Division and Tournament Champion Bloomfield earned all 14 first place votes and 98 points for the North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Caldwell picked up 81 points for second place while CACC Tournament Runner-Ups Dominican earned 67 points for third place. Post rounds out the expected playoff teams from the North with 53 points.

Concordia earned 38 points to sit in fifth overall followed by Felician’s 33 points and Nyack’s 21 points.

The Wildcats open the 2017-18 season next weekend in hosting the Wilmington Tip-Off Classic, a matchup between CACC and ECC schools. The Wildcats square off against NYIT on Friday, November 10 at 8:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex for the season opener.

AGATE:

2017-18 CACC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

North Division
1. Bloomfield College 98 (14)
2. Caldwell University 81
3. Dominican College 67
4. Post University 53
5. Concordia College 38
6. Felician University 33
7. Nyack College 21

South Division
1. Thomas Jefferson University 98 (14)
2. Goldey-Beacom College 70
3. University of the Sciences 66
4. Wilmington University 61
5. Holy Family University 41
6. Chestnut Hill College 37
7. Georgian Court University 18

() - First-Place Votes

 

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SUBJECT: Wildcats Picked to Finish Fifth as CACC Women’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll is Announced

DATE: November 3, 2017
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - The Wilmington University women’s basketball picked up 39 points and is voted to finish tied for fifth in the South Division as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference announces the 2017-18 CACC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Wildcats narrowly missed the postseason last season, falling on the last day of the regular season to finish in fifth place. They went 12-16 overall, 9-10 in CACC play in 2016-17. This year, the coaches’ slotted them in a tie for fifth place with Holy Family, each earning 39 points in the South Division.

Defending CACC Tournament Champions USciences earned 13 first place votes and 97 total points to claim the top spot in the South Division. Jefferson earned the only other first place vote in the South Division, finishing with 73 points to sit in second place. Chestnut Hill earned 70 points for third while Goldey-Beacom rounds out the expected CACC Tournament participants with 59 points for fourth place.

Following Wilmington and Holy Family tied for fifth with 39 points, Georgian Court rounds out the South Division with 14 points to finish in seventh.

In the North Division, Caldwell took 12 first place votes to total 96 points and expected to finish atop the division. Caldwell lost to USciences in the CACC Tournament Championship game. Bloomfield picked up the other two first place votes and 86 total points to sit in second place. Dominican earned 66 points for third while Concordia picked up 53 points to finish out the expected playoff contenders form the North.

Nyack was given 33 points for fifth place while Felician (32 points) and Post (23) round out the North Division.

The Wildcats begin their 2017-18 season next Friday when they head to Holy Family for the NE10/CACC Conference Challenge. They open with Franklin Pierce on Friday before playing Bentley on Saturday. Tip-off against the Ravens in the season opener is set for 7:00 p.m.

AGATE:

2017-18 CACC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

North Division
1. Caldwell University 96 (12)
2. Bloomfield College 86 (2)
3. Dominican College 66
4. Concordia College 53
5. Nyack College 33
6. Felician University 32
7. Post University 23 points

South Division
1. University of the Sciences 97 (13)
2. Thomas Jefferson University 73 (1)
3. Chestnut Hill College 70
4. Goldey-Beacom College 59
T5. Holy Family University 39
T5. Wilmington University 39
7. Georgian Court University 14
() - First-Place Votes

 

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UBJECT: Men’s Basketball Drops 2017-18 Season Opener, 81-76, to NYIT

DATE: November 10, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The combination of a slow start and a poor shooting night did not bid well for the Wilmington University men’s basketball team, as they suffered an 81-76 loss to NYIT in the 2017-18 season opener at the WU Athletics Complex on Friday night.

The Wildcats (0-1) did not get on the scoreboard until 3:23 into the contest, and didn’t hit a shot until 4:19 into the game, getting off to a slow start against the Bears (1-0). But the Wildcats’ defense kept them around until the offense got comfortable.

Jermaine Head hit a three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 8-6 with 14:20 left in the half before Zahir Robinson put the home team ahead with another three pointer, 9-8, with 13:14 showing on the clock.

Tied at 13, the Wildcats went on an 8-0 run, getting three-pointers from Head and Ed Henderson II to take their largest lead of the game, 21-13, with 9:32 to remaining in the first half.

Still up eight points at 26-18, the Wildcats offense would go cold. The Bears battled back into the game with an 11-0 run, taking a 29-26 lead with 4:44 to play in the half. The run continued for the Bears, as it reached a 24-3 sprint towards the end of the half, taking a 42-29 lead with 1:47 showing on the clock. Nick Richards and Elijah Agwu made back-to-back layups for the Wildcats, but the Bears held the 42-33 halftime lead.

Trailing by nine points, the Wildcats went on a 16-4 run over a 4:32 span, aided by a Head steal and fast break dunk, to take a 54-51 lead with 13:37 to play. Danny Walsh hit the three-pointer to break the 51-51 tie, giving the Wildcats their first lead since early in the first half.

But the Bears had an answer once again, scoring the next five points to regain a 56-54 lead. Shawn Church tied the game with a three points, 62-62, with 10:16 to play, before Masner Beauplan scored three straight points for the Wildcats to grab a 65-62 lead. But a Bear three-pointer, followed by six straight points from the foul line gave the visitors a 71-65 lead with 7:22 showing on the clock.

The Wildcats made a late game push, as a Walsh three-point cut the deficit to 78-74 with 3:02 to play. But the Wildcats missed their next three shots, including two from beyond the three-point arc before a Richards’ layup brought the home team to within a single bucket, 78-76 with 53 seconds left.

Looking for one more stop, the Bears’ leading scorer Jeffrey Hayden came up with a big bucket to push the lead out to 80-76 with 23 seconds to play. Head missed a layup and Walsh would miss a last ditch effort three-pointer, giving the victory to NYIT, 81-76.

The Bears dominated the points in the pain battle, 44-24, leading to a 51.7 field goal percentage. The Bears kept the Wildcats in the game by only shooting 17-of-36 from the foul line.

Richards led the Wildcats with a double-double, scoring 20 points while adding 15 rebounds as well. Head finished with 13 points while Church hit three three-pointers in finishing with 12 points. Beauplan was the final Wildcat in double figures with 11 points. The Wildcats hot 34.8 percentage from the floor, including 10-of-35 from beyond the three-point arc.

The Wildcats continue the CACC/ECC Challenge with a game against LIU Post on Saturday afternoon. Both teams suffered losses on Friday night. The Wildcats will be looking for their first win of the season starting with a 4:00 p.m. opening tip on Saturday at the Complex.

 

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SUBJECT: Women’s Basketball Opens Season with 79-67 Victory Over Franklin Pierce

DATE: November 10, 2017
djl

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - For only the second time since the 2009-10 season, the Wilmington University women’s basketball team won its season opener, defeating Franklin Pierce, 79-67, at the NE10/CACC Challenge hosted by Holy Family in the Campus Center Gym.

The Wildcats (1-0) won every quarter, outshooting the Ravens (0-1), 42.9 to 34.3 percent. The last time the Wildcats won the season opener was in the 2015-16 season, but only the second time in the previous nine seasons.

The Wildcats trailed 11-7 midway through the first quarter before rattling off eight straight for the 15-11 lead. Macy Robinson then put in and-one before Emma Matthews laid one home for the 20-12 advantage. The Ravens were able to close the gap with a 5-2 spurt of their own, but the Wildcats held the 22-17 lead after the first quarter.

A Robinson three-pointer gave the Wildcats their first double digit lead, 27-17, with 9:03 left in the second quarter. But that would be the last point for the Wildcats for a while, as the Ravens bounced back with a 12-0 run to take a 29-27 lead with 4:20 left in the half. The Wildcats answered with an 8-0 run to end the quarter, however, capped by an Ebonee Dixon layup with 11 seconds showing on the clock. The Wildcats went into the half with a 35-29 lead.

An 8-2 start to the third quarter put the Wildcats ahead, 43-31, before the lead ballooned to as large as 14 points with two free throws from Robinson with 4:30 left in the quarter. The Ravens finally got the deficit to within single digits with 2: 45 to play, as Sophia Holmes hit a three-pointer. That sparked a 7-2 mini-run to get to within 54-47, but that would be as close as the Ravens would get in the quarter as Dixon closed out the scoring with a layup, 58-49.

A pair of free throws from Matthews put the Wildcats back in front, 64-54, with 6:59 to play in regulation and the Wildcats would not see the lead dip back into single digits the rest of the way. Robinson iced the game with her third and final three-pointer of the game, 74-61, with 2:45 showing on the clock.

Robinson led all scorers with 24 points, securing a double-double with a team high 10 rebounds as well. She went 8-of-18 from the floor for the game, including 3-of-9 from deep. Matthews finished with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting against her former school while newcomer Precious Palmer chipped in 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in her first game as a Wildcat.

The Wildcats continue play at the NE10/CACC Challenge tomorrow with D2SIDA East Region Preseason favorites Bentley. They were also voted seventh in the 2017-18 D2SIDA Preseason Media National Poll. Tip-off at the Campus Center Gym is set for 5:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Fast Second Half Start Sparks Men’s Basketball to 78-67 Victory over LIU Post

DATE: November 11, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - Four players finished with 15 or more points as the Wilmington University men’s basketball team picked up their first win of the 2017-18 season, 78-67, over LIU Post on the final day of the Wilmington Tip-Off Classic on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.

The game was tied at 33 at the half, but the Wildcats (1-1) came out of the break on a 10-2 run in the opening 2:32 of the second half to take control. The Pioneers (0-2) held the advantage in the paint, 32-26, but the Wildcats turned 18 LIU Post turnovers into 22 points at the other end to secure the victory.

The Wildcats had four starters with 15 or more points, and was one point away form having all five starters reach double digits. The Wildcats shot 43.1% from the floor, hitting 9-of-22 from beyond the three-point arc.

Trailing by four with less than a minute to play in the first half, the Wildcats fought back to tie the game at the break. Trailing 31-27, Shawn Church hit a three-pointer with 47 seconds showing on the clock. The Pioneers sank two free throw at the other end, but Church answered again with another three-pointer with five seconds left, sending the game into the half deadlocked at 33-33.

After each team made a buck in the first minute of action in the second half, the Wildcats took off. Church started the run with yet another three-pointer, before Jermaine Head backed him up with a three-pointer of his own, 41-35. Richards’ block at the defensive end led to a fastbreak at the other end, and Richards was rewarded once again, laying on in for the Wildcats’ eighth straight point.

Richards eventually gave the Wildcats their first 10-point lead of the game with 15:09 left in regulation, 49-39, but the Pioneers fought back to cut the deficit to as close as 51-48 with 11:08 showing on the clock.

Still at a three-point contest, Paul Medlin bookended a quick 10-0 run with layups, getting other layups from Danny Walsh and Richards for the 62-49 lead with 7:46 to play. The lead continued to grow for the Wildcats, as Head hit a pair from the foul line for an 18-point lead, their largest of the game, 71-53, with 4:29 to go in the game.

The Pioneers couldn’t get the game back into single digits the rest of the way as the Wildcats settled on the 78-67 victory.

Head led the Wildcats with 18 points, adding eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals as well. Richards poured in 16 points while dishing out a game high nine assists to go with five rebounds. Church hit five three-pointers for 15 points while Medlin finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats take to the road for the first time this season when they head to Millersville on Wednesday night. The nonconference matchup is slated for a 7:00 p.m. opening tip.

 

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SUBJECT: No.6 Bentley Too Much for Women’s Basketball in 83-40 Nonconference Defeat

DATE: November 11, 2017
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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The nationally number sixth ranked Bentley was too much for the Wilmington University women’s basketball team, 83-40, in the final game of the NE10/CACC Conference Challenge on Saturday hosted by Holy Family at the Campus Center Gym.

The Falcons (2-0) are ranked No. 6 in the WBCA Coaches Preseason National Poll while also being ranked No. 7 in the D2SIDA Women’s Basketball Preseason National Poll. The Wildcats (1-1) fell behind 15-0 in the opening quarter and could never catch up.

The Wildcats did not get on the board until an Emma Matthew jumper was true with 3:26 left in the first quarter. Nyree Grant contributed the only other bucket in the first quarter for the Wildcats, tipping in a rebound with 14 seconds left, as the Wildcats went into the quarter break trailing 21-8.

The Falcons hit back-to-back three-pointers to open a 30-11 lead midway through the second quarter. Grant and Dixon put in back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to 34-17, but the Falcons extended the lead back out to 45-20 at the halftime break.

The third quarter was more of the same for the Falcons, as they outscored the Wildcats, 23-15. Matthews and LaShyra Williams each hit a three-pointer in the quarter, but the Falcons held a 33-point lead after three quarters of play.

The Falcons largest lead of the game came with 23 seconds left in regulation with the final point of the contest, settling on the 83-40 victory.

Matthews led the Wildcats with 11 points, shooting 5-for-9 from the floor and adding three rebounds and two steals. Grant came off the bench to score nine points and added nine rebounds. Williams chipped in with seven points while adding nine rebounds as well. Precious Palmer finished with a team high five steals on the night.

The Wildcats make their 2017-18 home debut with their next contest, as they host Clarion on Wednesday night. The nonconference contest is set to begin at 5:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.

 

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SUBJECT: Second Half Letdown Burns Women’s Basketball in 74-69 Loss to Clarion

DATE: November 15, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - A 10-point halftime lead was not enough for the Wilmington University women’s basketball team as Clarion came from behind for the nonconference victory, 74-69, at the WU Athletics Complex on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (1-2) outscored the Golden Eagles (2-1), 21-13, in the second quarter to take a 39-29 lead into the halftime break, but the visitors responded with a 21-9 third quarter to take over the contest.

The first half started with three straight buckets by the Wildcats’ Precious Palmer, Jadyn Whitsitt, and Macy Robinson to take a 14-6 lead late in the first quarter. But the Golden Eagles closed the quarter on a 10-4 run to close the gap to 18-16 after one 10-minute session.

The Golden Eagles fought all the way back to take a 24-23 lead with 6:03 left in the second quarter, but the Wildcats finished the half on a flurry. Nyree Grant converted an old-fashioned three-point play for a 28-24 lead and the Wildcats’ lead was still only four points with 46 seconds showing on the clock. But Whitsitt started a late spurt with a layup, and Grant beat the buzzer on a nice play in the lane, catching and releasing a pass from Robinson while in the air to send the Wildcats into the half, 39-29.

Out of the break, the Wildcats couldn’t get on the board in the third quarter until 2:40 into the half, as the Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 39-35. Robinson hit a three-pointer for a seven-point lead with 6:27 on the clock, but the Wildcats wouldn’t score again for over four minutes of action. A couple of Clarion three-pointers gave the visitors a 45-44 lead with 2:39 left in the quarter, their first lead since the game was 24-23.

The Wildcats regained a 48-45 lead on a Whitsitt fastbreak, but the Golden Eagles came right back to tie the game with a three-pointer. They would end the third quarter with a 50-48 lead.

Williams opened the fourth quarter with the first four points and hit a three-pointer to cap a 7-2 run to give the home team a 55-52 lead with 8:47 remaining in regulation. But Clarion answered with a 7-0 run of their own to take a 59-55 lead moments later. The Wildcats had trouble in defending the high pick-and-roll in the second half, and the Golden Eagles took full advantage, using it to spring another three-pointer, 64-59, with 5:51 to play.

The lead continued to grow for Clarion, as it opened the largest lead of the game, 70-61, as late as 3:04 left in the contest. But Whitsitt didn’t want the Wildcats to go quietly, putting in three straight layups before Williams hit one free throw to cut the deficit to 70-68 with 1:16 showing on the clock.

Clarion would only hit one free throw at the other end to keep the Wildcats alive, but Palmer missed two good opportunities from in close before Williams was fouled, only hitting one free throw to bring the game to 71-69 with 19 seconds left. The Golden Eagles would hit three more foul shots to close out the victory, 74-19.

The Wildcats struggled from the foul line on Wednesday night, only going 11-of-23 (47.8 percent). They also only hit 2-of-12 from beyond the three-point arc for the game.

The freshman Whitsitt led the Wildcats with 16 points and seven rebounds while Williams also poured in 16 points and six rebounds. Robinson finished with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with five assists while Grant came off the bench to score 10 points.

The Wildcats take to the road for their next contest, as they head to the District of Columbia on Saturday. The opening tip is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Wild Finish Allows Daemen to Come Away with 79-73 Victory over Men’s Basketball

DATE: November 18, 2017
djl

AMHERST, N.Y. - - Tied with under a minute to play, Daemen scored the final six points of the game to defeat the Wilmington University men’s basketball team, 76-71, on Saturday afternoon at Lumsden Gymnasium.

An unfortunate sequence of events down the stretch led to a technical foul on the Wildcats’ (2-2) bench, giving Daemen (3-1) four free throws resulting in a four-point lead. The Daemen Wildcats finished off the Wilmington Wildcats by going 8-of-10 from the charity stripe since the 71-71 tie game with 46 seconds left in the game.

Jermaine Head tied the game at 71 with a pair from the foul line but then committed a foul on the defensive end. Daemen’s Darius Garvin hit the first freebie, missed the second, but the Wildcats picked up the offensive rebound to keep possession.

Dawson Grinnage committed another foul to put Daemen back on the line with the score 72-71. A technical foul was also assessed to the Wilmington bench during the stoppage, giving Daemen four tries at the line. The home team made three of the four for a 75-71 lead with 28 seconds left.

Wilmington missed a three-pointer and Daemen answered with two more free throws for the 77-71 lead with 19 seconds left. Paul Medlin laid one home, but Daemen continued to hit their foul shots, settling on the final score, 79-73.

Wilmington jumped out quickly on Daemen, as Nick Richards hit a three-pointer for an 11-7 lead. The Wildcats took their largest lead of the game early in the first half, 15-9, with 14:23 before the break. Daemen eventually took a 17-16 lead with 10:05 remaining and no team led by more than five the rest of the half. Richards put home an old-fashioned three-point play with 4:22 showing on the clock for a 31-27 lead but Daemen answered with a 13-8 run to end the half to lead, 40-39, at the break.

Daemen started the second half off hot, taking their largest lead of the game, 47-41, just 3:57 into the second stanza. The game remained close the entire second half. Head converted another old-fashioned three-point play to go up 61-56 with 11:01 on the clock, but Daemen responded with an 11-0 run to take a 67-61 lead with exactly six minutes left in regulation. Medlin brought the Wildcats all the way back with a final layup, 69-69, with 1:51 left, setting up the crazy final minute of play.

Shawn Church led the Wildcats with 19 points, 13 of which came in the second half alone. He hit five three-pointers in the loss, adding second rebounds. Richards finished with 15 points and six assists, while Medlin collected a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Wildcats outrebounded Daemen, 52-28, including 24-5 on the offensive glass, but converted that into just 21-second chance points. There were 10 tied and 13 lead changes in the contest.

The Wildcats return home for their next contest, as they host nationally ranked Shippensburg on Wednesday afternoon. The Wednesday matinee is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. opening tip.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Second Half Turnaround Leads Women’s Basketball to 69-54 Road Victory at UDC

DATE: November 18, 2017
djl

WASHINGTON, D.C. - - A big second half turned a Wilmington University women’s basketball three-point halftime deficit into a 69-54 road victory over the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon at the UDC Sports Complex.

The Wildcats (2-2) scored 23 point in the third quarter and 20 more in the fourth quarter to overcome as large as a 15-point second quarter deficit to the Firebirds (2-2). The Wildcats outscored the Firebirds, 45-25, in the second half.

The first quarter was a close-knit affair, as they largest lead was a 6-3 advantage for the firebirds. The teams went back-and-forth all quarter, with the Firebirds taking a slight advantage, 11-10, into the second quarter.

The Wildcats did not score in the second quarter until there was 5:19 left on the clock and the Firebird took full advantage. An old-fashioned three-point play sparked a 14-0 Firebird run, taking their largest lead of the game, 25-10, with 5:38.

Still down 15, 27-12, the Wildcats began to claw back. Emma Matthews started a 14-0 run of their own with a jumper. LaShyra Williams hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 27-23 before Precious Palmer sank another jumper to bring the visitors all the way back to within 27-26 with 44 seconds left in the half. UDC scored the final bucket of the half to carry a 29-26 lead into the break.

Still down four points, 39-35, with 4:54 left in the third quarter, the Wildcats closed out the stanza on a 14-4 run to take the game over. Matthews tied the game at 39 with a jumper before Williams gave the Wildcats the lead for good with two from the foul line. Jadyn Whitsitt came up with a steal and an easy layup for the 47-41 lead Nyree Grant closed out the scoring in the quarter with two more from the foul line, 49-43.

The Firebirds closed the gap to as few as five points with 6:05 left in the quarter, but the Wildcats rebounded with the next seven points to widen the gap back out to 64-51 with 3:41 to play. With the lead at 10, the Wildcats went 5-of-6 from the foul line for the rest of the game, keeping UDC off the scoreboard in the final 1:55 of the game to earn the victory, 69-54.

Williams had her best game of the early season, collecting 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Macy Robinson earned the double-double with 12 points and a game high 13 rebounds while Whitsitt added 13 points and seven rebounds. Matthews grabbed 12 rebounds as well for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats out-rebounded the Firebirds, 50-31, including a 35-24 advantage on the defensive glass, holding UDC to only two second-chance points.

Wilmington has little time to bask in the victory, as they return home to face Bowie State on Monday evening. The tip-off against the Bulldogs is set for 6:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Second Quarter Carries Bowie State Past Women’s Basketball, 72-56

DATE: November 20, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - A 30-point second quarter carried Bowie State to a 72-56 nonconference victory over the Wilmington University women’s basketball team on Monday evening at the WU Athletics Complex.

Neither team particularly shot the ball well on Monday night, with both teams coming back after games on Saturday. But the Bulldogs (4-0) remained perfect by outscoring the Wildcats (2-3), 30-17, in the second quarter to take a 17-point lead into the halftime break.

The Wildcats assisted on 14 of their 21 made baskets, but the Bulldogs turned 20 Wilmington turnovers into 25 points, as compared o the Wildcats’ 15 points off 16 Bulldog turnovers. The Bulldogs also outscored the Wildcats in the paint, 30-26, and second chance points, 16-11.

After the Bulldogs opened the game with a 15-11 advantage in the first quarter, they came out and shot 58.8 percent from the floor, including a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line in the second quarter to seize the momentum.

Bowie State came out and scored the first seven points of the second quarter, en route to a 16-4 run for a 31-15 lead. Macy Robinson closed the quarter by hitting three three-pointers for the Wildcats, but the Bulldogs hit a late jumper to take a 45-27 lead into the locker room.

The Bulldogs took their first 20-point advantage with 5:01 left in the third quarter, as Kiara Colston hit a three-pointer, 54-33. The Wildcats charged back with a 10-4 run of their own to cut the deficit to 58-43 with 1:38 left in the quarter, but the Bulldogs closed out the stanza with the final six points of the quarter for the 64-43 lead after three.

Bowie State scored the first two points of the fourth quarter for their largest lead of the game, 66-43, before Ebonee Dixon sparked an 8-0 run for the Wildcats. She put home an offensive rebound opportunity before Nyree Grant made back-to-back layups. Robinson capped the 8-0 run with another layup, cutting the Wildcats deficit to 66-51 with 5:13 showing on the clock. LaShyra Williams brought the Wildcats to as close as 14-points with a pair of free throws, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.

Robinson hit four three-pointers to lead the Wildcats with 16 points and six rebounds while Grant came off the bench to score 12. Williams and Jadyn Whitsitt chipped in with 10 points each. Williams led all Wildcats with eight rebounds.

After two games in three nights, the Wildcats have seven days off before returning to action on Tuesday, November 28 at Lincoln (Pa.). Tip-off against the Lions is set for 6:00 p.m. in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.

 

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SUBJECT: Jermaine Head and Jadyn Whitsitt Earn First CACC Basketball Rookie of the Week Honors

DATE: November 21, 2017
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - In leading their respective teams to a 1-1 record last week, Wilmington University men’s basketball Jermaine Head and women’s basketball’s Jadyn Whitsitt have been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Rookies of the Week, as announced by the conference.

It is the first weekly award for both Head (Edgewood, Md.) and Whitsitt (Fort Washington, Md.), as they each had season high games for the Wildcats.

Head led a furious late game comeback against Millersville on Wednesday, as the team trailed by 17 points with 8:55 left in regulation. Head scored 21 of his game high 32 points in the second half, shooting 9-of-14 from the floor down the stretch. He finished with 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting, grabbing nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He assisted on the final bucket of the night; a game-winning three-pointer by Shawn Church on a kick out after Head drove the lane.

Head averaged 20.5 points in two games last week, shooting at a 44.4 percent clip. He went a perfect 7-of-7 from the foul line for the week, adding 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game as well.

Whitsitt had a season’s best 16 points in the women’s team’s home opener, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. She then came back and poured in 13 more points at the District of Columbia, shooting 5-of-10 from the floor. She also grabbed seven rebounds in each game, adding three steals against Clarion and three assists at UDC.

For the week, Whitsitt averaged 52.2 percent shooting, going 12-of-23 from the floor. She scored 14.5 points per game, adding 7.0 rebounds a contest, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 assists in the 1-1 week.

Concordia’s Stephen Milhaven was named the Men’s Player of the Week while Head shared the Rookie of the Week award with Jefferson’s Alexander Gorton. Felician’s Rahsaan Williams was named the CACC’s Defensive Player of the Week.

On the women’s side, Post’s Jasmyne Fogel was named the Player of the Week while Jefferson’s Jessica Kaminski was named the Defensive Player of the Week. The Wildcats’ LaShyra Williams was named on the Weekly Honor Roll as well.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: West Chester Uses Early Run to Take 78-61 Nonconference Victory over Men’s Basketball

DATE: November 25, 2017
djl

CHESTER, Pa. - - The Wilmington University men’s basketball team got off to a slow start which allowed West Chester to take the nonconference victory, 78-61, played at the Schwartz Center on the campus of Widener University on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats (3-3) couldn’t find the shooters’ touch in the opening 20 minutes, leading to a 16-point halftime deficit. The Golden Rams are off to their second 5-0 start in three years.

The first half shooting woes resulted in the Wildcats shooting 25 percent from the floor, going 8-of-32. They also only hit 1-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc in the first half.

The Golden Rams pulled away early, breaking a 4-4 tie with a 14-0 run to lead 18-4 with 14:53 to play in the half. The lead ballooned to as large as 17 points on multiple occasions, the last at 32-15 with 5:18 showing on the clock.

The second half started better for the Wildcats and the visitors started to make a comeback. Trailing 52-37 halfway through the second half, the Wildcats scored six straight to cut the deficit to single digits, 52-43. Danny Walsh then hit a three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 52-46 with 8:19 left in regulation.

Shawn Church cut into the deficit even more with another three-pointer, 54-49, with 7:32. But the comeback ran out of gas there as the Golden Rams scored the next six points to extend the lead back out to 13 with 4:35 in the game. The Wildcats couldn’t get any closer than 11 the rest of the way.

After only scoring six points in the first half, Jermaine Head led the Wildcats with 25 points in the game, shooting 10-of-20 from the floor. Walsh finished with 12 points while hitting two three-pointer.

Freshman Dawson Grinnage came off the bench to grab 16 rebounds. That is the most rebounds in a game since Taj Almon grabbed 16 on January 21, 2017 at Holy Family. The Wilmington NCAA record for boards in a game is 20.

The Wildcats return to the WU Athletics Complex when they return to action this week. They will host the District of Columbia on Wednesday in the final nonconference contest before getting into Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action. The game against the Firebirds is set for 7:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short For Women’s Basketball, 93-80, at Lincoln (Pa.)

DATE: November 28, 2017
djl

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. - - A fourth quarter comeback ran out of steam for the Wilmington University women’s basketball team on the road at Lincoln (Pa.), as the Lions came away with the 93-80 nonconference victory inside Manuel Rivero Hall on Tuesday night.

After trailing by as many as 21 points late in the second quarter, the Wildcats (2-4) mounted a fourth quarter comeback and eventually closed the gap to as few as a single point before the Lions (1-2) regained their composure and closed out the game.

A big 27-14 second quarter gave the Lions a 13-point lead after the Wildcats worked back to tie the game at the end of the first quarter, 23-23. Out of the break, the Wildcats fought back to take the third quarter, 22-21, and started the fourth quarter with two quick buckets to get the deficit to single digits.

Emma Matthews hit a three-pointer and LaShyra Williams followed up with a layup to cut the lead to 74-68 with 7:02 left in regulation. Jadyn Whitsitt then laid one home and Williams followed with a jumper to bring the Wildcats all the way back to within 75-73 with 5:41 showing on the clock. A Matthews’ jumper again brought the Wildcats to within two points at 77-75 with 5:10 left.

After the Lions hit only one of two free throws, Whitsitt was fouled at the other end and hit both free throws, clawing the Wildcats all the way back to within 78-77 with 4:33 left in the game.

But the Lions answered with the next four points, regaining an 82-78 advantage. Williams put in a layup with 2:43 left, bringing the Wildcats back to within five points, but that would be the final points the visitors would get in the game. The Lions scored the final eight points to settle on the final score, 93-80.

Williams led the Wildcats with 20 points while Matthews hit 4-of-4 from three-point territory to finish with 18 points and a team high eight rebounds. Whitsitt was the final Wildcat in double figures with 12 points.

The Lions took advantage of 16 offensive rebounds and 22 Wildcat turnovers to pick up 11 second-chance points and 26 points off turnovers. The Lions out-rebounded the Wildcats, 49-29, for the game.

The Wildcats return to the WU Athletics Complex when they next return to action on Saturday afternoon. They welcome LIU Post to Newark, Delaware for a 1:00 p.m. opening tip.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Third Quarter Run, Distributed Offense Gives Women’s Basketball 73-62 CACC Victory Over Holy Family

DATE: December 5, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - A lopsided third quarter and a wealth of support helped the Wilmington University women’s basketball team start its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference schedule off on the right foot with a 73-62 victory over Holy Family on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.

After losing 15 straight contests against the Tigers (1-8, 0-2 CACC) from the 2009-10 season to last year, the Wildcats (3-5, 1-0 CACC) have now won two of the last three overall in the all-time series.

A close battle through the first two quarters, the Wildcats opened the margin with a 19-9 third quarter. The scores of the other three quarters combined only had the Wildcats with a one-point lead.

The Wildcats scored in a plethora of ways, getting three players with 17 or more points, as well as Emma Matthews lighting up the box score with seven points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocked shots.

Trailing 26-21 midway through the second quarter, the Wildcats started a spurt to take a halftime lead. Jadyn Whitsitt hit a pair from the line before Jonna Maddox put in a layup to get to within 26-25. Maddox made it two in a row for the lead before Nyree Grant hit a foul line jumper for the 29-26 lead. Macy Robinson ended the 10-0 run with a jumper of her own before the Tigers hit a three-pointer to go into the half with the Wildcats on top, 31-29.

But it was the third quarter where the Wildcats made their mark in the game. A 10-2 run had the Wildcats up by double digits, 41-31, and before it was all said and done, the Wildcats 18 of the quarters first 22 points and led 49-33. Grant gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game with an offensive board and putback with 2:38 left in the third. The Tigers scored the final three points of the quarter but the damage was done as the Wildcats went into the fourth leading by 12, 50-38.

The Tigers didn’t go away easily however, getting to within single digits with 3:31 left in the game. A three-pointer brought the visitors to as close as 62-56 with 2:26 left, but the Wildcats were able to stem the tide and keep the Tigers at an arm’s length.

Whitsitt led all scorers with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting while Grant came off the bench to score 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Robinson collected her second double-double with 17 points and a team high 14 rebounds. Grant finished with seven rebounds as well for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats shot 44.6 percent from the floor for the game while holding the Tigers to 33.3 percent.

The Wildcats remain in CACC play with their next contest, as they head across town to square off against rival Goldey-Beacom on Saturday afternoon. The CACC doubleheader is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Joseph West Jones Center on Limestone Road.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Nick Richards’ Hits Shot with 7.3 Seconds Left to Sink Goldey-Beacom, 61-59, on the Road

DATE: December 9, 2017
djl

WILMINGTON, Del. - - The Joseph West Jones Center may not be the home of the Wilmington University men’s basketball team, but it seems to be Nick Richard’s home.

The senior hit a runner in the lane with 7.3 seconds showing on the clock to propel the Wildcats to a 61-59 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference road victory over in-state rival Goldey-Beacom on Saturday afternoon.

Richards scored a game high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting on Saturday and is now averaging 29 points in his career at the Joseph West Jones Center. He led the team with 34 points on 14-of-17 shooting and seven rebounds in the Wildcats’ two-point victory last season on February 18.

It wasn’t easy for the Wildcats (6-3, 2-0 CACC) on Saturday, as they found themselves down late in each half. They were able to overcome each deficit.

The Lightning (4-5, 1-1 CACC) took their largest lead of the game with 5:46 left in the first half, after an old fashioned three-point play gave the home team a 24-17 lead. But the Wildcats went on a 14-4 run to close the half, taking a 31-28 lead into the break.

Richards scored 16 points in the first half, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. Miles Gillette was the next highest scorer with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting.

The second half started slowly for Richards and the Wildcats, as they didn’t score until 3:47 has passed in the half. Goldey-Beacom started the half by scoring the first six points, taking a 34-31 lead. The Lightning continued to hold the lead, taking a 44-38 lead with 11:47 left in regulation.

Goldey-Beacom tied its largest lead of the game at 56-49 with 5:20 to play, but that is when the Wildcats made their move.

Jermaine Head hit a jumper and Gillette followed with a layup to get to within three. Another Head jumper brought the Wildcats to within two points before Richards finally tied the game, 57-57, with 1:30 left on the clock.

Vincent Kent came down with a defensive rebound and Head converted two from the foul line, giving the Wildcats a 59-57 lead with only 54 seconds left.

Corey Taite came down and went into the body of Kent, scoring the bucket to tie the game and getting fouled to go to the line. His free throw was halfway down before popping out and the game remained tied.

After a timeout, Richards got into the lane from the left side and converted his ninth bucket of the game with 7.3 ticks left on the clock.

Without calling a timeout, the Lightning pushed the ball ahead and had a good look from three in front of their own bench. But the shot was short and a game tying put back was also off the mark as the final buzzer sounded, 61-59.

Richards added five rebounds, four assists, and three steals to his game high 24 points. Head and Gillette finished with 16 points each while Gillette was one rebound away from his third straight double-double.

The Wildcats hit just two three-pointers in the game (2-of-14), but shot 44.2 percent from the floor for the game (23-for-52). They held the Lightning to 35.4 percent shooting for the game.

The Wildcats have all week off before taking their three-game winning streak on the road to the AIC Holiday Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts. They will face host American International on Saturday before playing Franklin Pierce on Sunday.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Wins Fourth Straight with 69-61 Victory at American International in Holiday Classic

DATE: December 16, 2017
djl

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - - The Wilmington University men’s basketball team stretched its winning streak to four straight with a 69-61 nonconference victory at American International to kick-start the AIC Holiday Classic on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats (7-3) earned the victory despite being out-rebounded, 51-36, for the game, including a 24-7 disadvantage on the offensive glass. The Yellow Jackets (6-5) turned those offensive rebounds in a 28-5 advantage in second chance points. But the home team shot just 29.4 percent from the floor in the game.

Nick Richards again led the Wildcats with 25 points, shooting 8-of-18 from the floor while adding a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line. Jermaine Head added 11 points while Miles Gillette chipped in with 10 points. As a team, the Wildcats went 20-of-23 from the foul line for the game.

In a tight game throughout, Richards hit a jumper to put the Wildcats ahead, 8-5, with 15:50 to play in the first half. Shaw Church gave the Wildcats an eight-point advantage, 20-12, with a three-pointer with 6:16 left, capping a quick 6-0 spurt for the visitors. A Church defensive rebound and push ahead to Gillette led to a dunk before Gillette gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the first half, 25-16, with a three-pointer with 3:10 before the half. A Richards’ layup sent the teams into the locker room with the Wildcats ahead, 29-22.

The second half starter much faster than the first half, as the Yellow Jackets used a 15-7 run to take a 37-36 lead with 15:37 left in regulation.

The game was last tied at 43-43 before the Wildcats took the lead for good. Richards, who scored 13 of his 25 points in the second half, hit two technical free throws to break the tie for good. He then laid in another bucket on the ensuing possession for the quick four-point lead.

Head then hit a three-pointer and followed with a securing a defensive rebounding and pushing the ball coast to coast for a layup and the 52-45 lead with 8:16 showing on the clock. Two more Richards free throws pushed the lead back out to nine points, but AIC didn’t go down easily.

The home team got the deficit down to five points with 4:34 to play, but Zahir Robinson hit a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to push the lead back out to 61-53.

A Yellow Jacket three-pointer brought the home team with within 61-57, but Gillette followed with a clutch three of his own to keep AIC at an arm’s length. The Yellow Jackets got back to within five, 66-61, with 1:09 to play, but that would be the final point they would score the rest of the way.

Vincent Kent came off the bench to secure a team high seven rebounds while adding six blocks. His six blocks are the most in a single game since Taj Almon denied nine shots at Chestnut Hill on December 15, 2016.

The Wildcats remain in action at the AIC Holiday Classic tomorrow, as they take on Franklin Pierce with a 1:00 p.m. tipoff. The Ravens defeated Bloomfield, 85-80, in the other AIC Holiday Classic game on Saturday.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: First Quarter Deficit Too Much To Overcome for Women’s Basketball, 84-75, at Jefferson

DATE: December 19, 2017
djl

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Jefferson scored 32 points in the first quarter and accrued a lead too large to overcome as the Wilmington University women’s basketball team fell short, 84-75, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division action at the Gallagher Center on Tuesday afternoon.

The Wildcats (4-7, 1-2 CACC) found themselves down 32-16 after the first quarter, but then outscored the Rams (11-1, 4-0 CACC) by seven the rest of the game. The Rams’ lead grew too as large as 22 midway through the second quarter, making it too large for the Wildcats to mount a comeback.

The Rams scored the first eight points of the first quarter and gained their first double digit lead at 15-5 with 6:41 left. Out of a timeout, the Wildcats used buckets from Emma Matthews, Nyree Grant, and Jadyn Whitsitt to get within 15-11, but back-to-back Ram three-pointers put the home team back up by double figures, 21-11. A Matthews’ three again had the Wildcats within 21-16, but that would be the final point the Wildcats would score in the quarter. The Rams scored the final 11 points to double up the Wildcats, 32-16, after the first quarter.

The Wildcats’ Mikala Casimir scored the first bucket of the second quarter, but the Rams answered with the next eight points to take their largest lead of the game, 40-18, with 5:56 to play before the half. The Wildcats would rebound in the quarter, however, tying the Rams, 17-17, in the frame to head into the break trailing 49-33.

Wilmington started the second half under better conditions, eventually ourscoring the Rams, 23-16. A Whitsitt three-pointer brought the Wildcats to within 56-44 with 5:46 left in the third before a Matthews three-point finally got the deficit to under 10 points, 63-54, with 1:14 showing on the clock. A Lisa Eller jumper sent the Wildcats into the fourth quarter trailing just 65-56.

Macy Robinson started the fourth with a layup to get the deficit to seven before Whitsitt hit another three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 66-61. Whitsitt then converted an old fashioned three point play moments later to bring the Wildcats all the way back to within 68-64 with 6:27 left in regulation.

The Wildcats then got the deficit as few as three points a couple times, but that would be as close as they could get. Matthews hit a three for a 70-67 deficit before Robinson hit two from the foul line to get the game at 72-69. Whitsitt laid one home for a 74-71 Ram advantage with 3:41 showing on the clock. But the Rams would outscore the Wildcats, 12-4, the rest of the way, going 7-of-8 from the foul line to ice the game.

Four Wildcat starters finished in double figures, led by Matthews’ team high 17 points. She added nine rebounds and six assists as well. Whitsitt collected a season high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double, scoring 16 points. Robinson added 16 points while Grant chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Wildcats outshot the Rams, 46 percent to 40 percent, but the Rams put 12 more shots up. The Rams used 17 Wildcat turnovers to put in 23 points while also getting 20 second chance points off 19 offensive rebounds.

The Wildcats head into the mandatory NCAA Division II Holiday Break and will return to game action on Saturday, December 30 when they host USciences in another CACC South Division battle. The CACC doubleheader will start with the women at 1:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Can’t Close Out Jefferson, Fall 84-81 in First Overtime Contest of the Season

DATE: December 19, 2017
djl

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The Wilmington University men’s basketball team couldn’t finish off Jefferson as the Rams took a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division overtime affair, 84-81, at the Gallagher Center on Tuesday afternoon.

In a closely contested match that featured extremely similar statistics throughout, the Rams (9-5, 4-0 CACC) held the advantage at the free throw line, going 9-of-16 for the game compared to the Wildcats (7-5, 2-1 CACC) 3-of-7.

Each team once held leads of as many as nine points, with the Wildcats coming back from an early 9-0 start to take a 38-29 lead with 1:12 left in the first half.

The Rams scored the final five points of the first half to cut the deficit to just 38-34 heading into the break. The Wildcats hit seven three-pointers in the first half, shooting 46.9 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. They dished out nine assists on the 15 made baskets in the half, taking eight more shots than the Rams.

Jefferson shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the first half, but only 4-of-11 from three-point territory. They out-rebounded the Wildcats, 15-11, in the half, but turned the ball over six times to the Wildcats’ two.

The Ram run continued to start the second half, as they scored five of the first seven points to get to within a single point, 40-39. Jefferson’s Josh Bradanese went on a three-point tear, hitting three in a row with the last giving the home team their first lead since the first half, 56-54, with 12:06 left in regulation.

Jermaine Head put the Wildcats back up 62-58 with a jumper, but the Rams came back with the next eight points, ending with another Bradanese three-pointer for a 68-64 lead with 5:28 to play. Head answered with a three of his own, and then regained the lead for the Wildcats with yet another three-pointer, 72-70, with 3:06 showing on the clock.

A pair of free throws put the Rams back on top, 74-72, with 1:12 left, but Danny Walsh came down and banked home a jumper to tie the contest at 74. The Wildcats controlled a rebound and had the ball with a chance to win at the end, but the Rams forced a long three-pointer from Walsh, which was off the mark, sending the game into overtime.

The teams traded three-pointers to start the overtime session, but Bradanese hit his second triple of the overtime period for an 80-77 lead. The Rams would not relinquish that lead. A dunk put the Rams up 82-77 with 1:22 left before two free throws from Head and a baseline jumper from Paul Medlin cut the deficit to 82-81. The Rams hit their two from the charity stripe, giving the Wildcats one more opportunity to tie the game.

The Wildcats got a good look for Shawn Church in front of their own bench, but his three at the buzzer was off the mark, giving the Rams the 84-81 victory.

Head finished with a game-high 29 points, shooting 11-of-21 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from beyond the three-point arc. He also added seven rebounds and seven assists for the near triple-double. Miles Gillette collected his third double-double of the season, scoring 17 points to go with a team-high 12 rebounds. Walsh hit four three-pointers for 14 points while Church chipped in with 12 points and five assists.

Bradanese came off the bench to score 27 points for the Rams, hitting 7-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc.

The Wildcats head into their mandatory NCAA Division II Holiday Break and return to action on Saturday, December 30 with another CACC South Division showdown against USciences at the WU Athletics Complex. The men cap the CACC doubleheader with a 3:00 p.m. tip.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Three-Point Barrage Too Much for Women’s Basketball, 76-50, as USciences Rolls

DATE: December 30, 2017
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The three-point attack of the USciences Devils was too much to overcome as the Wilmington University women’s basketball team fell, 76-50, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action to close out the 2017 calendar year on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.

The Devils (11-2, 3-1 CACC) hit 17 three-pointers in the contest, shooting 43.6 percent from deep in the contest. The 17 three-pointers resulted in 51 points. The Wildcats (4-8, 1-3 CACC) only made 17 field goals in the game, going 17-of-49, including 4-of-12 from three-point territory.

After a slow start in which the Devils scored the first five points, the Wildcats put in 11 straight, capped by a made layup from Jadyn Whitsitt and then a steal and layup by Macy Robinson midway through the first quarter. But the Devils responded by scoring nine of the last 11 points of the quarter, taking a 14-13 lead after one.

The Wildcats tied the game at 14 early in the second, but then it was all USciences from there. Back-to-back three pointers put the visitors up 28-19 before three more three-pointers stretched the Devils’ lead out to 37-19. The Devils would go on to outscore the Wildcats, 28-10, in the second quarter to take a 42-23 lead into the halftime break.

Macy Robinson hit two early three-pointers in the third and Nyree Grant put back an offensive rebound to get the Wildcats as close as 45-35 with 5:33 to play in the third. The Devils scored the ensuing six points and later hit three straight three-pointers again to take a 60-37 lead with 1:04 to play in the third. The Devils would take a 24-point lead, 62-38, into the final quarter.

The lead would grow as large as 29 points early in the fourth quarter before the Devils took the final frame, 14-12, to win, 76-50.

Grant led the Wildcats with her second double-double of the season, scoring a team high 14 points to go with a game-high 14 rebounds. Whitsitt was the only other Wildcat to reach double figures, scoring 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Precious Palmer, Emma Matthews, and Robinson all finished with eight points each.

Delaware native Alex Thomas (St. Elizabeth’s) scored her 1,000th career point for the University of the Sciences in the game. She led with a game high 19 points.

The Wildcats return to action after the New Year, as they head to Chestnut Hill for another CACC South Division battle on Wednesday night. The women are the first of the CACC doubleheader, with the opening tip scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Late Game Comeback Gives Women’s Basketball 86-83 CACC Victory over Georgian Court

DATE: January 6, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - Trailing by 10-points midway through the fourth quarter, a furious late game comeback set the stage for a dramatic victory for the Wilmington University women’s basketball team, as they took down Georgian Court, 86-83, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division action on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.

After a slow start, the Wildcats (5-9, 2-4 CACC) scored 60 points in the second half, erasing a 12-point first quarter and halftime deficit. Tied after three quarters, the Lions (2-11, 0-6 CACC) gained a 10-point lead with 5:25 left in regulation before succumbing to the Wildcats’ comeback.

The Wildcats erased a 38-26 halftime deficit with a 30-18 third quarter fury to tie the game at 56. Mikala Casimir scored the first bucket of the fourth to give the Wildcats a brief lead, but the Lions answered with a 19-7 spurt to take a 75-65 lead with 5:25 left in the game.

Still down by nine with 3:55 to play, Macy Robinson started the comeback with a three-pointer before Nyree Grant converted a layup on the team’s next possession. Now down six with 2:29 left, Robinson hit another three-pointer to cut the deficit in half before Grant got the game to within a single point with a steal and layup.

Another Grant layup on a second chance possession brought the Wildcats to within 83-82, setting up the final sequence of the game.

With the ball under their offensive basket, the Lions tried to inbounds in the ball to the top of the key. Robinson read the lob pass and tipped it forward turning quickly from defense into offense. Robinson raced ahead and laid the ball in while getting hit hard in the head on the fast break with 24 seconds left. The made bucket put the Wildcats up a point, and the flagrant-two foul gave the Wildcats two more points from the foul line for the 86-83 lead.

The Lions never got a game-tying three-point attempt off before time ran out.

The comeback was needed after the Lions shot 8-of-20 from the floor in the first quarter, including three three-pointers. They led 21-9 after the first 10 minutes of action. They then shot 7-of-14 with two more three-pointers in the second quarter, taking a 38-26 lead into the break.

Out of the break, the Wildcat came out and hit three three-pointers of their own, shooting 10-of-19 from the floor to erase the entire deficit and go into the fourth quarter tied. The Wildcats assisted on nine of the 10 made field goals, getting five steals for a few easy buckets.

Robinson scored 26 of her game high 29 points in the second half, pouring in 13 in each the third and quarters. She hit six three-pointers and went 11-of-26 from the floor. She added a team high 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, as well as five assists, five steals, and two blocked shots.

All five starters scored in double digits, led by Robinson’s 29. Grant poured in 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Mikala Casimir set a new career high with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Casimire also dished out five assists and grabbed five boards. Emma Matthews and Jadyn Whitsitt scored 11 points each with Matthews grabbing nine rebounds in the win.

The Wildcats will go for their second win in a row when they head to Caldwell on Wednesday for a cross divisional contest. The women start the CACC doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. in Caldwell, New Jersey.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Miles Gillette and Jermaine Head Earn CACC Weekly Honors

DATE: January 8, 2018
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Following a pair of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division victories last week, a pair of Wilmington University men’s basketball student-athletes headline this week’s CACC Players of the Week honors, as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.

After a career game against Georgian Court, sophomore Miles Gillette (Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson) was named the CACC Player of the Week while redshirt sophomore Jermaine Head (Edgewood, Md./Joppatowne) continued his torrid stretch to earn CACC Rookie of the Week honors. It is the first time Gillette has been honored by the CACC while this is the second week Head has been named the CACC Rookie of the Week (11/21).

Gillette has been a double-double machine of late, collecting his fifth of the season with a career offensive game on Saturday against Georgian Court. He shot 12-of-18 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from deep and 6-of-7 from the foul line to pour in 34 points. He took over the second half against the Lions, going 8-of-10 from the floor (3-of-4 from deep) for 20 points in the victory. He also grabbed a career best 14 rebounds in the game, nine of which came in the first half.

In the first game of the week, Gillette didn’t reach double figures in scoring for the first time in eight games, but his field goals came at the right time. He shot 3-of-13 from the floor against the Griffins, but sank the final two buckets of the game for the Wildcats, including the game-winner at the buzzer to defeat Chestnut Hill, 67-65. He finished with eight points but had a game-high 13 rebounds. Gillette averaged 21 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor for the week.

Head had a terrific first half at Chestnut Hill, nearly hitting all his shots en route to 23 points. He went 9-of-11 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from three-point territory in the first half alone. He finished with a game-high 29 points, hitting six three-pointers while adding five steals, four assists, and four rebounds from the point guard position.

Although his 20-point scoring streak of four straight games ended against Georgian Court, Head poured in 18 points while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor in the blowout win. While not scoring, he picked up his other teammates, dishing out eight assists with only one turnover against the Lions. He added five steals in the game, moving into second overall in the CACC with 33 steals this season. He averaged 23.5 points per game while shooting 58.1 percent from the floor for the week. Head added 2.5 rebounds, six assists, and five steals per game last week.

Rounding out the men’s basketball weekly honors is Goldey-Beacom’s Dante Thompson who earned the CACC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

On the women’s side, the Wildcat’s Macy Robinson was named to the Honor Roll after scoring a career high 29 points (26 in the second half) while hitting six three-pointers in a comeback victory over Georgian Court on Saturday.

Both Wildcat teams return to action when they head to Caldwell on Wednesday night for a CACC doubleheader. The women start the double dip with an opening tip at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men at approximately 7:30 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Caldwell Shoots Its Way Past Women’s Basketball, 91-66

DATE: January 10, 2018
djl

CALDWELL, N.J. - - The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division leading Caldwell women’s basketball team had the hot hand on Wednesday, shooting its way past Wilmington University, 91-66, at the Newman Center.

The Cougars (13-3, 6-1 CACC) showed a complete team victory on Wednesday, getting five players with double digits in points, with their fifth starter finishing with nine points. Caldwell outrebounded the Wildcats (5-10, 2-5 CACC) 46-31, and turned 18 turnovers into 28 points for the home team. The Cougars also dominated in the paint, outscoring the Wildcats, 58-28, under the basket, shooting 52 percent from the floor for the game.

Macy Robinson hit a three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 17-16 in the first quarter, but a quick 7-0 spurt led to a 9-4 run over the final 2:25 of the frame to grab a 26-20 lead going into the second quarter.

The Cougars took their first double-digit lead with 6:33 left in the second, 36-25. The Wildcats closed the gap to as few as seven points following Robinson’s second three-pointer of the game, 42-35, but the Cougars answered with the final five points of the quarter to take a 47-35 lead into the locker room.

A quick 6-0 run early in the third quarter brought the Wildcats back to within single digits at 52-43, before a personal 5-0 run by Mikala Casimir had the Wildcats to within as few as 54-48 with 5:56 showing on the clock. Still down 56-50, the Wildcats couldn’t get any close before the Cougars rattled off the next 11 points to regain a double-digit lead, 67-50, with one minute left in the third. A three-pointer at the end of the quarter put the Cougars up 70-52 going into the final frame.

Caldwell extended their lead to as large as 26 points, as a three-pointer widened the margin to 81-55 with 5:25 left in the game. The Cougars went on to take the fourth quarter, 21-14, to win the game, 91-66.

Freshman Jadyn Whitsitt set a new season high with 22 points, shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line. She added four rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Emma Matthews started hot with 14 points in the first half, but that’s all she finished with as she shot 6-of-14 from the floor to go with a team high six assists. Nyree Grant was the final Wildcat to reach double figures with 11 points, adding four rebounds. Robinson collected eight points, grabbing a team high eight rebounds while adding two assists, two steals, and a block.

The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday as they square off against another CACC North Division foes in Concordia. The Wildcats return home and are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off at the WU Athletics Complex.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Caldwell Jumps Out Early in 86-64 CACC Victory over Men’s Basketball

DATE: January 10, 2018
djl

CALDWELL, N.J. - - A poor shooting night resulted in an 86-64 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference loss for the Wilmington University men’s basketball team at Caldwell in a cross-divisional contest on Wednesday night at the Newman Center.

At the other end of the floor, the Cougars (6-9, 3-3 CACC) shot 51.6 percent from the floor for the game, hitting six three-pointers. The Wildcats (9-6, 4-2) only went 6-of-25 from deep while shooting 33.3 percent from the floor for the game.

Eleven seemed to be the magical number for the Cougars on Wednesday night, as a pair of 11-0 runs in each half defined the game.

Jermaine Head put the Wildcats on the board directly off the opening tip, but the Cougars answered with an 11-0 runt to gain control of the first half. The home team took their first 10-point lead with 11:50 showing on the clock, 15-4. The first half lead grew to as large as 22-7 with 9:26 left, but the Wildcats closed the half on a 20-12 run to close to within seven at the half. The Cougars scored the final bucket of the half, going into the break leading 34-27.

A pair of free throws from Head brought the Wildcats to within 39-35 early in the second half, but the visitors couldn’t get any closer the rest of the way. Shawn Church laid one in to bring the Wildcats to within 50-43 with 11:50 to play in regulation, but the Cougars answered with another 11-0 run over the next 2:11 of game play to take a commanding 61-43 lead with 9:39 left.

Head hit two three-pointers in a quick 8-0 Wilmington run, getting back to within 61-51, but another 11-1 outburst from Caldwell quickly put the home team up 72-52 with 5:27 left in regulation. The lead grew to as large as 24 points with 4:15 to play before the Cougars settled on the 22 points victory, 86-64.

Head’s 24 points led the Wildcats on 8-of-17 shooting. Nick Richards shot 6-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-15 from the foul like for 21 points, adding 11 rebounds, five assists, and two steals for his second double-double of the year. Church was the final Wildcat in double figures with 10, shooting 4-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Vincent Kent chipped in with seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

Caldwell welt 33-of-64 (51.6 percent) from the floor, led by Eric Johnson-Alford’s game-high 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting. He added 12 rebounds for a double-double as well.

The Wildcats will look to get back into the win column with their next matchup on Saturday afternoon. They stay with the CACC cross-divisional matchup, hosting North Division’s Concordia at the WU Athletics Complex at approximately 3:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Long Range Shot Falls As Women’s Basketball Needs to Survive Late, 80-76, at Nyack

DATE: January 20, 2018
djl

NYACK, N.Y. - - Macy Robinson’s eight three-pointers carried the Wilmington University women’s basketball team out to a large lead, but it needed to hang on late at Nyack, 80-76, on Saturday in Bowman Gym in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross divisional action.

The Wildcats (6-12, 3-7 CACC) snapped a three-game losing streak by busting out of the gates against the Warriors (2-17, 2-8 CACC), leading by nine points after the first quarter and 21 points at the halftime break. But the Warriors came back and closed the gap to 17 points after three quarters and nearly came all the way back in the fourth quarter before the Wildcats closed the door late.

Redshirt junior Macy Robinson shot 8-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc for the game, ranking as the second most made three-pointers in a game in the Wildcats’ NCAA era. She surpassed three former Wildcats that hit seven triples in a game, and only trailed Jamie Gallagher’s 10 made three-pointer at USciences on January 24, 2009.

Robinson and the Wildcats got off to a hot start in the first quarter, shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. Most of that came from Robinson herself, as she shot 5-of-6 from the floor for the quarter, but more impressively a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc. She accrued 17 points in the opening quarter, leading the Wildcats to a 24-15 lead after 10 minutes of action.

The redshirt junior cooled down in the second quarter, but Emma Matthews picked up where Robinson left off. Matthews went 3-of-5 from the floor, and hit both of her two three-pointers before the half, scoring eight points while adding four assists in the quarter. The Wildcats shot 45 percent from the floor in the second, hitting 3-of-4 from deep to extend the lead to 46-25 at the halftime break.

Robinson came back in the third and hit both of her three-pointers in the quarter, but Nyree Grant took over the 10-minute period by shooting 3-of-4 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line for nine points and five rebounds in the frame. But the Warriors received 10 points from Jocelin Wright and seven more from Japria Karim-Duvall to outscore the Wildcats, 27-23, in the quarter, cutting the home team’s deficit to 17 points.

Mikala Casimir scored the first bucket of the fourth quarter for the Wildcats, giving the visitors a 71-52 lead. But the Warriors responded by scoring 11 straight to get back into single digits, 71-63, with 6:27 left in regulation. Casimire hit another jumper to end the drought but Nyack came back scored nine straight again, getting to within a single point, 73-72, with 2:59 showing on the clock.

The Wildcats bunkered down, however, as Jadyn Whitsitt put in a layup and Casimir converted a turnover into a made jumper to take a 77-72 lead. The Warriors battled back with back-to-back buckets to again get within 77-76 with 28 seconds to play, but Robinson capped her 31-point performance with a layup on the ensuing possession, and the Wildcats were able to deny the Warriors on three occasions at the other end to secure the victory.

Robinson went 10-of-17 from the floor, including 8-of-11 from deep, and 3-of-5 from the foul line for 31 points and eight rebounds in the game. Grant secured a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Matthews nearly had a double-double with 14 points and nine assists. Casimir was the fourth starter in double digits with 11 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor.

The Wildcats shot 30-of-60 from the floor for the game, including 11-of-19 from beyond the three-point arc. The Wildcats led the Warriors in points in the paint, 30-22, as well.

The Wildcats will go for the season sweep of Holy Family in their next contest, as they head to Philadelphia to take on the Tigers on Wednesday night. The opening tip is set for 6:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Miles Gillette and Nick Richards Pick Up CACC Player of the Week Honors

DATE: January 22, 2018
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Following two decisive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victories last week, a pair of Wilmington University men’s basketball student-athletes have been named CACC Players of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday.

For the second time in three weeks, sophomore Miles Gillette (Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson) has been named the CACC Player of the Week for a pair of double-doubles, while senior Nick Richards (New Castle, Del./Hodgson Vo-Tech) has been named the Defensive Player of the Week.

Gillette averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds last week by scoring exactly 24 points and 10 rebounds in each contest. He led the team in scoring in each match, shooting 48.7 percent for the week. He also went 7-of-9 from the foul line for the week, adding four assists, and a steal in the two wins.

In the Wildcats’ matchup against Jefferson, Gillette shot 9-of-18 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from three-point range, and 4-of-5 from the foul line for 24 points. He grabbed five offensive and five defensive rebounds for his seventh double-double-double of the year. He came back to shoot 10-of-21 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line at Nyack on Saturday, again leading the team in scoring with his 24 points. He secured his eighth double-double of the year with five offensive and five defensive rebounds as well.

Richards did it from both ends of the floor last week, not only averaging 20 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, but also averaging 3.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He shot 60.7 percent from the floor for the week in playing all but two minutes in two games.

The senior put in 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting in the rout of Jefferson on Tuesday, adding six rebounds to go with two steals, a blocked shot, and two assists. He came back on Saturday and shot 8-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the foul line at Nyack, scoring 21 points to go with five rebounds, five steals, two blocked shots, and four assists. It is the first time this season, and the second time of his career, that Richards has been named the CACC Defensive Player of the Week.

Gillette and Richards will help lead the Wildcats into their next contest on Wednesday night, as they head to Holy Family looking for the regular season sweep of the Tigers. Tip-off in Philadelphia is scheduled for approximately 8:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Women’s Basketball Battles Back for Fourth Quarter Tie, Runs Out of Gas in 67-63 Loss at Holy Family

DATE: January 24, 2018
djl

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The Wilmington University women’s basketball team fought all the way back to tie the game in the fourth quarter but ran out of gas late as Holy Family escaped with a 67-63 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division victory inside the Campus Center Gym on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (6-13, 3-8 CACC) fell behind early as the Tigers (7-12, 6-5 CACC0 jumped out to a large first half lead. An 18-8 lead after the first quarter turned into as large as a 25-10 advantage for the home team in the second quarter. But the Wildcats outscored the Tigers, 13-5, over the final 5:30 to claw to within 30-23 at the halftime break.

The Tigers stretched the lead back out to 11 points early in the third, but then the Wildcats mounted their comeback. Jadyn Whitsitt and Emma Matthews made buckets on back-to-back possessions to cut the deficit to 38-24, before Nyree Grant sank back-to-back layups on her own to bring the Wildcats to within 41-38 with 2:29 left in the half.

Wilmington continued to come at Holy Family, but the Tigers would bend but never break, as the closest the Wildcats could get in the quarter was 43-41. The Tigers answered with a layup of their own with less than a minute to play, but Grant hit a pair from the foul line to send the game into the fourth quarter with the Wildcats trailing by just 45-43. The Wildcats outscored the Tigers, 20-15, in the third quarter.

Whitsitt started the fourth quarter with an offensive rebound and putback layup, tying the game for the first time all night at 45-45. The Wildcats had two chances to take the lead on their next possession, but a Matthews’ missed jumper and a Macy Robinson turnover resulted in a Tiger three-pointer at the other end. The Wildcats would never be able to get over the hump and take the lead away form Holy Family.

The Tigers continued their run and eventually led 53-45 after the Wildcats tied the game. Robinson hit a three-pointer to get to within three points, but the Tigers were always able to keep the visitors at an arms’ length. Whitsitt converted a layup and Matthews hit one from the line to get to within 60-56 with 1:28 left but the Tigers went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch to hold off the Wildcats, 67-63.

The Wildcats dominated in the paint, outscoring the Tigers, 36-20, in the lane, but hit on just 3-of-17 from beyond the three-point arc. The Tigers hit seven three-pointers while also going 14-of-16 from the foul line. The Wildcats went 10-of-17 from the free throw line.

Matthews paced the Wildcats with 19 points, going 2-of-5 from deep. She added three steals, two rebounds, and two assists. Grant collected her fifth double-double of the year with 16 points and 13 rebounds while Whitsitt contributed 14 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Robinson grabbed 10 rebounds while scoring six points.

The Wildcats will look to get back into the win column when they return to action and the WU Athletics Complex on Saturday against Felician. The opening tip is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Hangs on Late for Third Straight CACC Victory, 60-56, at Holy Family

DATE: January 24, 2018
djl

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - A 10-point halftime lead was nearly in jeopardy for the Wilmington University men’s basketball team at Holy Family on Wednesday night, but the Wildcats hung on for the 60-56 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division victory inside the Campus Center Gym.

The Tigers (2-16, 1-10 CACC) got to within two points with possession to either tie the game or take the lead on multiple occasions late in the second half, but the Wildcats (12-8, 7-4 CACC) were able to come up with key stops down the stretch to secure the victory.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the first half, gaining as large as a 13-point lead right before the half. The visitors found themselves down 11-9 with 14:28 showing on the clock, but Miles Gillette sparked an 8-0 spurt with a layup en route to a 13-1 run to take their first double-digit lead of the night, 22-12. Jermaine Head hit a jumper following a steal by Gillette for the 10-point lead with 9:52 left in the half.

Nick Richards continued his torrid start to the game with a layup for the 33-22 lead with 4:58 before the break, and gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 38-25, with a free throw with 1:27 to play. The Tigers scored five straight but the senior hit two more from the line for the final points of the half, sending the Wildcats into the break leading, 40-30.

Gillette finished off a steal by Richards with a layup, putting the Wildcats ahead, 45-34, with 15:00 left in regulation. But the Wildcats wouldn’t score again for another 4:53 of game-time.

During that span, the Tigers clawed back into the contest, scoring eight straight to get to within 45-42. Gillette ended the draught with two from the line with 10:07 to play.

The Tigers continued to fight in the second half, as a pair of three-pointers brought the home team to as close as 54-52 with 6:03 showing on the clock. Richards tipped-in an offensive rebound but the Tigers got to within 56-54 again with a pair of free throws. Down 58-56 with 1:47 and possession, the Tigers turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions, ruining a chance to either tie the game or take the lead. A lead changing three-pointer was also off the mark for the Tigers with 56 seconds left.

Again with the ball with 11 seconds left and trailing by two, an illegal screen by the Tigers gave the ball back to the Wildcats and Head was able to sink two from the line to ice the game, 60-56.

Richards paced the team with his third double-double of the year, scoring 22 first half points en route to a game high 24 points and 14 rebounds. Gillette chipped I with 24 points and six rebounds while Head was the final Wildcat in double figures with 11 points.

The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor (15-of-30) in the first half, but just 29.2 percent in the second half to finish 22-of-54 (40.7 percent) for the game, including just 4-of-22 from beyond the three-point arc.

Wilmington will take its three-game winning streak into its next contest, as the Wildcats return home on Saturday to square off against CACC North Division foe Felician. The opening tip is set for 3:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Women’s Basketball Falls Behind Early in 86-58 Loss to Felician

DATE: January 27, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The Felician women’s basketball team raced out to an early first half lead in defeating the Wilmington University women’s basketball team, 86-58, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross-divisional action at the WU Athletics Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Falcons (6-12, 4-7 CACC) raced out an eight-point lead after one quarter of play and took a 44-26 lead into the halftime break against the Wildcats (6-14, 3-9 CACC). The Wildcats closed the gap to as few as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Golden Falcons finished the quarter on a 14-6 spurt to reopen a 21-point lead after three quarters of play.

Jadyn Whitsitt scored the first five points of the game for the Wildcats and Nyree Grant put the Wildcats up 7-2 in the early going. Whitsitt put in another layup to tie the game at 12, but that is when the Golden Falcons took off. They went on a 9-0 to take a 21-12 lead, en route to a 11-3 run to end the first quarter and take a 23-15 advantage into the second quarter.

Mikala Casimir and Emma Matthews scored the first two buckets of the second quarter to get within 23-19, but the Wildcats got stuck on 21 points for over three minutes of game time. The Golden Falcons rattled off eight straight points to take a 34-21 lead and scored the final eight points of the quarter to lead 44-26 at the halftime break.

Grant was the only Wildcat to reach double digits in scoring, securing her third straight and sixth double-double of the season. She finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, adding three steals in the loss. Casimir put in nine points to go with six rebounds and two assists while Matthews finished with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocked shots. Lisa Eller came off the bench to score seven points for the Wildcats.

Four of the Golden Falcon starters scored double digits, led by Kameron Stone’s double-double of 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 14 rebounds. She went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

The Wildcats round out the month of January with a CACC South Division bout on the road on Tuesday night. They head to CACC South Division leading and nationally ranked No. 13 USciences with a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Nick Richards Leads Men’s Basketball Past Felician, 82-76, with 32 Points

DATE: January 27, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - Trailing by three points with fewer than eight minutes to play, Wilmington University men’s basketball senior Nick Richards took over the game.

He scored 11 of the Wildcats’ (13-8, 8-4 CACC) final 20 points to lead the team to an 82-76 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over Felician on Saturday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.

Richards finished with a game-high 32 points and took over the CACC scoring average by outplaying the Golden Falcons’ (8-11, 5-6 CACC) Terrell Spaulding. The Wildcats now sit in third place in the CACC South Division, but only one game out of first place behind Jefferson (9-3) and Goldey-Beacom (8-3).

After a tightly contested first half that ended in a 36-36 tie, the players found the scoring touch in the second half as the game began to pick up.

The teams traded three-pointers to kick off the half and neither team could pull further away than four points in the early going. Richards hit back-to-back-to-back shots for the Wildcats to take a 58-52 lead with 13:03 to play, but Spaulding capped a comeback with a three-pointer to regain a 61-60 advantage for the visitors with 9:47 left. Spaulding then made a jumper with 7:54 showing on the clock to put the Golden Falcons up 65-62.

And then Nick Richards happened.

He started the Wildcats’ spurt with a layup before assisting on a Shawn Church three-pointer at the end of the shot clock to put the Wildcats ahead, 69-65. Richards then laid one in before hitting a three-pointer to move ahead, 74-67, with 4:34 left in regulation. Two free throws kept the spurt going for Richards and the Wildcats before another Church steal and push ahead to Richards for a layup resulted in an 80-73 lead with 1:58 to play. Danny Walsh ended the run by stepping into a jumper, giving the Wildcats an 82-73 lead with just over a minute to play.

The Golden Falcons only answered with a three-pointer with six seconds left, finalizing the score, 82-73.

Richards finished with a game high 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting (7-of-9 in the second half alone), but also added six rebounds to go with five assists and a steal. Jermaine Head stuffed the stat sheet once again with 16 points, adding nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Paul Medlin returned after missing eight games due to an injury to score 12 points off the bench while Walsh also came off the bench to score 10 points with three steals.

The Golden Falcons were led by Zamir Wright’s 18 points while Spaulding finished with 15 points. Felician outshot the Wildcats, 50.9 percent to 47.8 percent, but 18 turnovers led to 21 Wildcat points.

The Wildcats will look to extend their four-game winning streak when they return to action on Tuesday at CACC South Division foe USciences. The men follow the women in the CACC doubleheader with an approximate start time of 8:00 p.m. in Philadelphia.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Nick Richards Named CACC Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week

DATE: January 29, 2018
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - For the second week in a row and third week of January, the Wilmington University men’s basketball team featured a student-athlete as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player of the Week, as Nick Richards was named a recipient as announced by the conference office on Monday.

Richards (New Castle/Hodgson Vo-Tech) was named the CACC defensive Player of the Week last Monday, but stepped up his offensive game in leading the Wildcats to a pair of wins last week. It is the first time in his career that Richards has been named the CACC Co-Player of the Week. He shares the award with Georgian Court’s Niokla Vujovic.

The senior guard started the week with an unconscious 22 points in the first half at Holy Family, shooting 9-of-11 from the floor while also grabbing nine rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. He finished the game with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, grabbing 14 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass, for his third double-double of the year.

Although he poured in 14 points in the first half against Felician on Saturday, Richards put on a show for the home crowd in the final eight minutes of the second half. With the team trailing by three points, Richards scored 11 of the final 20 Wildcat points to lead the team to an 82-76 victory. He finished with 18 points in the second half, totaling a season’s best 32 points in the game. He shot 13-of-20 from the floor, adding six rebounds, five assists, and a steal.

For the week, Richards averaged 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals per game, all while shooting at a 63.9 percent clip. He also made 3-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc while playing all 80 minutes last week.

Vujovic scored 20 points in a win over USciences before going for 33 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Nyack to share the award with Richards. Jefferson’s Alexander Gorton was named the CACC Rookie of the Week while Caldwell’s Eric Johnson-Alford was named the Defensive Player of the Week to round out the honors.

Richards will help lead the Wildcats into two more CACC games this week, as they head to USciences on Tuesday for a CACC South Division rematch. They will host Bloomfield on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex at 3:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Women’s Basketball Fights to the Wire with CACC North Leading Bloomfield, but Falls 62-55

DATE: February 3, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women’s basketball team hung tough with Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division leading Bloomfield, but the visitors held on down the stretch to take the 62-55 decision on Saturday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.

Trailing 52-41 at the end of three quarters, the Wildcats (6-16, 3-11, CACC) held possession with a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the Bears (12-9, 12-2 CACC) held on down the stretch to give the Wildcats their fourth straight defeat.

The Wildcats scored the first four points of the game and held a 6-2 lead in the first four minutes. But the Bears answered with a 15-7 run the rest of the quarter to take a 17-13 lead into the second frame.

Precious Palmer started the second quarter with a layup before Emma Matthews knocked down a three-pointer to give the Wildcats an 18-17 lead in the opening minute. Bloomfield responded with a 12-0 run of their own, however, taking its first double digit lead of the game, 29-18, on a Bear three-pointer with 3:01 to play before the half. They won the third quarter, 21-17, to lead 52-41 heading into the fourth.

Macy Robinson opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and the comeback was on. Matthews followed it up with a made jumper to quickly get within 52-46 with 6:33 to play. Back-to-back layups by Nyree Grant and Matthews brought the home team to within 54-50 before Grant had the game to within a possession with a free throw with 4:05 showing on the clock.

Robinson came up with a steal on the defensive end of the court and had a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer with 3:11 left, but her triple was narrowly off the mark and the Bears came down and made a layup to extend the lead back out to five points. Matthews had a chance to tie the game with 1:22 to play, but stepped into a two-pointer and missed the jumper. The Bears once again came down and put in a layup to extend the lead back out to 58-53.

Matthews led the Wildcats with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting, grabbing four rebounds and adding five steals. Grant poured in 15 points to go with eight rebounds while adding three steals. Robinson grabbed a team high nine rebounds.

The Wildcats will step out of the CACC for their final nonconference game of the year on Tuesday, as they head to Salem International in Salem, West Virginia. Opening tip is set for 6:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Dominican Holds Off Women’s Basketball, 84-75, as Wildcats Fall For Sixth Straight Time

DATE: February 10, 2018
djl

ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - Down by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter, the Wilmington University women’s basketball team was able to get as close as five points, but Dominican held on down the stretch for the 84-75 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross-divisional contest on Saturday afternoon at the Hennessy Center.

The Chargers (8-15, 7-7 CACC) shot 54.8 percent from the floor for the game and won each of the first three quarters to gather a large lead going into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats (6-18, 3-12 CACC) dropped their sixth straight contest, but nearly made a late game comeback for the ages. They shot 48.3 percent from the floor for the game, getting 44 of their points in the paint.

Emma Matthews hit three free throws to put the Wildcats up 7-3 with 7:14 left in the quarter, but the Chargers won the first quarter, 22-19. The home team then took the second quarter, 19-13, to head into the halftime break leading 41-32.

Out of the break, the Chargers continued to push, taking the third quarter, 24-16, to go into the fourth and final quarter, 65-48.

Dominican took its largest lead of the game, 72-51, with 7:07 left in regulation, but that is when Wilmington started to claw back.

Nyree Grant started a 6-0 spurt en route to a 9-2 run to get to within 76-61 as the Chargers took a timeout with 4:01 to play. Another 8-0 run brought the Wildcats to within 76-69 with 1:10 showing on the clock before Precious Palmer had the Wildcats as close as they’ve been since the first quarter, 78-73, with a layup with 36 seconds to play.

But the Chargers knocked down four straight free throws and made their final six of the game to hold off the late game Wildcat comeback.

Grant led the Wildcats with 21 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the floor and a perfect 3-of-3 from the foul line. Macy Robinson scored 17 points by hitting three three-pointers and shooting 7-of-12 overall. Robinson grabbed a team’s best seven rebounds. Mikala Casimir put in 14 points while adding six rebounds and five assists while Matthews was the fourth Wildcat in double figures with 13 points and five rebounds. Palmer came off the bench to score eight points while adding three rebounds and four steals.

The leading scorer in the game belonged to a Charger, as Taylor Tomlinson came off the bench to score 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting while adding nine rebounds.

The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex, as they welcome Chestnut Hill to Newark for a CACC South Division battle. The women start the CACC doubleheader with a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Falls Short at Regionally Ranked Dominican, 72-63

DATE: February 10, 2018
djl

ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University men’s basketball team dropped its second consecutive game to a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division stronghold on Saturday, falling at Dominican, 72-63, at the Hennessy Center.

Much like against Bloomfield last Saturday, the Wildcats (14-10, 9-6 CACC) fell to a D2SIDA East Regionally Ranked opponent, as the Chargers (16-7, 10-4 CACC) were placed eighth in the latest regional poll.

The Chargers outshot the Wildcats, 47.4 percent to 41.9 percent, for the game, and hit one ore three-pointer and six more free throws to provide the difference in the contest.

The Wildcats got off to a hot start in the contest as Paul Medlin capped a 9-4 run with a dunk down the middle of the lane to give the visitors their largest lead of the game, 21-15, with 10:38 left in the first half.

Jermaine Head hit a three-pointer to keep the Wildcats ahead, 27-22, but the Chargers battled back and eventually took a 30-29 advantage with 4:45 left in the half. They produced a 10-0 run late in the half to grab a 35-29 lead before Medlin ended the half’s scoring with a jumper, 35-31, with 3:19 remaining.

A quick 7-0 run early in the second half put the Wildcats back in front, 38-37, and the Wildcats would once again go ahead, 44-43, with a Shawn Church jumper with 14:15 left in regulation. But that would be the final lead for the visitors in the game. Miles Gillette tied the game with a jumper, 48-48, but a 7-0 run gave the home team a 55-48 lead that they would never relinquish.

The Chargers’ lead grew to as large as 62-52 with 7:50 showing on the clock. Five straight points from Gillette brought the Wildcats to within 64-61 with 3:59 left, and the Wildcats were once again to within three as late as 2:51 to play. The Wildcats had two possessions to cut deeper into the lead, but a turnover and a missed three-pointer kept the visitors at three points behind with just over a minute left.

Head led all scorers with 23 points, adding nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the contest. Gillette chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds while Church added 11 points and seven rebounds. Medlin was the final Wildcat to reach double figures, coming in off the bench to score 10 points. The Wildcats were without CACC leading scorer Nick Richards who was out with an injury suffered during practice.

With four games left in the regular season, the Wildcats remain in third place in the South Division and one game in the loss column ahead of USciences. Three of their final four games are at home.

Their first home game of the stretch is their next game, as they welcome Chestnut Hill to the WU Athletics Complex on Tuesday night. The opening tip is scheduled for approximately 8:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Chestnut Hill Slips Past Women’s Basketball, 91-84, in CACC Overtime Affair

DATE: February 13, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women’s basketball team couldn’t hold onto a late fourth quarter lead as Chestnut Hill came back for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference overtime victory, 91-84, on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.

The Wildcats (6-19, 3-13 CACC) used a 27-17 second quarter to head into the halftime break leading by six points, but the Griffins (16-9, 12-4 CACC) erased the deficit with a 25-17 third quarter to going into the fourth frame with a 60-56 lead.

The Griffins started the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to move ahead by seven points, but Jadyn Whitsitt started a 9-0 Wilmington spurt with a three-pointer. Emma Matthews then hit a three before converting an old-fashioned three-point play to take the lead, 65-63, with 6:46 left in regulation.

Chestnut hill fought back to take a 71-69 lead with 3:16 to play, by Macy Robinson swung the momentum back in favor of the Wildcats with a three-pointer for the lead, 72-71, with 3:00 showing on the clock. Matthews put the home team ahead, 74-71, with a jumper with 2:14 to play.

But the Wildcats went 0-for-2 with a turnover in their next three possessions, allowing the Griffins to stick around. An offensive rebound and one free throw brought the Griffins to within 74-72 with 23 seconds left, but a turnover immediately following the missed free throw gave the Griffins the ball back.

The Wildcats were unable to come up with another rebound, and the Griffins were fouled on the offensive board, getting another trip to the foul line. This time, Jaeda Wildgoose hit both from the line to tie the score. Whitsitt’s game-winning attempt was off the mark to send the game into overtime.

The beginning of the overtime period was back and forth, as Mikala Casimir gave the Wildcats the lead with two from the line, 80-78. Matthews tied the game again with a layup, 82-82, with 1:32 left, but the Griffins went on a game defining 7-0 run as the Wildcats went 0-for-2 with a turnover.

Matthews led four Wildcats in double figures with 22 points while Robinson scored 20 points with four three-points to go with six rebounds and six assists. Whitsitt came off the bench to score 15 points while hitting all three of her three-pointers, adding eight rebounds as well. Nyree Grant collected another double-double with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, adding four blocked shots.

The Wildcats went 11-of-12 from the foul line, but were out matched at the stripe as the Griffins went 21-of-31 for the game.

The Wildcats have another chance to win at the WU Athletics Complex with their next contest, as they host Post on Saturday afternoon. The team will host National Girls and Women in Sports Day festivities during the women’s game starting at 1:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Men’s Basketball Secures CACC Tournament Berth Despite 79-77 Loss to Chestnut Hill

DATE: February 13, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University men’s basketball team couldn’t hold onto a second half lead on Tuesday night, as Chestnut Hill came back to steal a 79-77 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division victory at the WU Athletics Complex.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats (14-11, 9-7 CACC) locked a CACC Tournament berth for the second year in a row as Georgian Court lost to Holy Family tonight as well. The seeding in the South Division is yet to be determined with three games to play.

A slow started had the Wildcats behind the entire first half, as the Griffins (5-18, 4-12 CACC) shot 54.8 percent from the floor, including 7-of-13 (52.8 percent) from three-point territory in the first half. They led by as many as 13 points, 41-28, with 2:15 left before the break. The Wildcats scored the final eight points of the first half to minimize the damage, but still went into the locker room trailing, 41-36.

The run continued out of the halftime break, as Jermaine Head hit the opening three-pointer of the second half followed by a fastbreak layup from Miles Gillette to tie the game, 41-41. The 13-0 run finally stopped with a Griffin three-pointer, as they went back in front, 50-41, with a 9-0 run of their own.

Still down seven, 53-46, the Wildcats rattled off the next 15 points to take a 61-53 lead with 8:50 left in regulation. The home team took their largest lead of the game, 66-57, with a Head steal and fast break layup by Shawn Church with 7:08 showing on the clock. But they wouldn’t be able to hold off the Griffins.

An old fashioned three-point play brought the Griffins back to within 68-67 with 4:19 left and they eventually took the lead on a Demetrius Isaac jumper, 71-70, with 3:15 to play. They went up by as many as three points late, but Head came down and put in a three-pointer of his home to tie the game at 75 with 1:18 left.

Isaac was up to the task again with a jumper, but Danny Walsh calmly hit two free throws at the other end to tie it again at 77. But a foul off the ball with the Wildcats on defense put Liban Awl to the line, where he hit a pair with 34 seconds to play.

The Wildcats had three cracks at tying the game in the final moments, but Head and Walsh missed jumpers before a timeout was called. Church had a good look at three from the corner out of the timeout, but he was off the mark as well. Gillette’s last ditch effort didn’t find the bottom of the net either as the horn sounded.

The offense was spread out amongst three Wildcats, led by Head’s game high 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. Church finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and five steals, while Gillette added 17 points and a game high 14 rebounds.

The Wildcats will look to rebound with another home game on Saturday, as they host Post at the WU Athletics Complex in a cross-divisional contest. The men are set to start at approximately 3:00 p.m.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Second Half Surge Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak for Men’s Basketball, 72-66, Over Post

DATE: February 17, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - An early second half surge allowed the Wilmington University men’s basketball team to snap a three-game losing streak and take a 72-66 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross-divisional contest from Post on Saturday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.

The shots weren’t falling in the first half for the Wildcats (15-11, 10-7 CACC) as they only shot 34.4 percent from the field while Post (7-19, 6-11 CACC) out-shot (40.6 percent) and out-rebounded (27-12) the Wildcats.

The Eagles jumped out early on the Wildcats, as they took a 10-3 lead past five minutes into the contest. The Wildcats had trouble finding the bottom of the net early, but closed the gap to a single point, 15-14, at the halfway point of the first half. Tied at 25-25, the Eagles scored five straight en route to a 32-27 lead late in the half. Jermaine Head laid one in to put the Wildcats down by only 32-29 at the break.

The Wildcats were a different team out of the break, as Shawn Church hit back-to-back jumpers and they never looked back. Miles Gillette turned a steal into an easy bucket and Nick Richards knocked down a three-pointer and the Wildcats had a 42-32 lead with 16:13 left in regulation. In all, it was a 15-0 run by the Wildcats spanning both halves.

Head gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 46-34, with 15:14 left on the clock, but the Eagles didn’t go away easily. The visitors retaliated with a 9-0 run of their own to get back to within 46-43 with 9:49 to play.

Richards found himself ahead of the field after a Danny Walsh defensive rebound, dunking one home to regain a 54-45 lead for the Wildcats with 7:24 to play. The Wildcats took a double-digit lead once against, 58-48, with 5:53 left, but the Eagles continued to battle back.

Post’s Tyler Destosiers took it upon himself on the comeback, hitting a couple of off balanced three-pointers and a few free throws to carry the Eagles late. His three-pointer with 37 seconds on the clock brought the visitors to within 68-63, before an old fashioned three-point play by Daniel Cabassa brought the Eagles to within 68-66 with 22 seconds left.

But Walsh stepped up and hit two free throws for the Wildcats, as the Eagles missed both their three-pointers at the end of the game.

CACC leading scorer Nick Richards did it again, scoring 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting, also going 12-of-15 from the foul line. He added five rebounds, two steals, and an assist in the win. Head counterbalanced Richards with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, hitting three three-pointers to go with six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Vincent Kent collected six rebounds to go with three blocked shots.

The Wildcats received some help in the CACC standings as Caldwell defeated Jefferson, 73-63, on Watch ESPN, keeping their slim hopes for second place in the South Division alive. The Wildcats are a game ahead of USciences in the loss column for third place in the South Division with two games to play in the regular season.

Wilmington takes to the road for the final time in the regular season with their next contest, as they head to Georgian Court on Wednesday night. They will follow the women with an approximate start time of 8:00 p.m. in Lakewood, New Jersey.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Men’s Basketball Returns to CACC Tournament with Hopes of Deep Run

DATE: February 26, 2018
djl

NEWARK, Del. - - The 2017-18 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament begins on Tuesday with a First Round contest between the Wilmington University men’s basketball team and Dominican College at the Hennessy Center in Orangeburg, N.Y.

The Wildcats earned the South Division’s number three seed, marking it the first time in program history that the Wildcats earned back-to-back berths in the CACC Tournament. They are looking for another run through the CACC Tournament like the 2014-15 team that saw them go to the CACC Tournament Championship Game. That year, the Wildcats’ run starts with a quarterfinal game at Dominican as well.

The Wildcats are participating in their fourth CACC tournament, with their first appearance coming in the 2009-10 season. This is their third appearance under head coach Dan Burke.

The CACC Tournament First Round games will be held at the higher seed, while the advancing teams will head to Jefferson for the remainder of the CACC Tournament.

Links to Follow the CACC Quarterfinals:

Live Stats: http://www.chargerathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2017-18/boxscores/20180227_81n9.xml
Live Stream: https://boxcast.tv/view/mens-basketball-vs-wilmington-university-716142
CACC Tournament Central: http://www.caccathletics.org/sports/mbkb/index

Admission to the 2018 CACC Men’s Basketball Tournament:

Adults - $6.00
Seniors - $3.00
Students (with valid ID) - $3.00
Children under 6 – Free

Scouting the South No. 3 Wilmington University Wildcats:

Wilmington earned the CACC South Division’s number three seed with an 11-8 conference record while going 16-12 overall on the season.

The Wildcats went 7-2 in the month of January, but lost three straight to start the month of February. After two wins, the Wildcats dropped their regular season finale to Goldey-Beacom, 79-71, to go 2-4 in the month of February.

The Wildcats are led by CACC leading scorer Nick Richards, as he puts in 20.8 points per game. Jermaine Head is fourth in the CACC, pouring in 18.4 points per game, but has scored more 20 points in the last five games. Head is also second in the CACC with 132 assists on the year, 98 of which have come in CACC play, which leads the pack. His 61 steals on the year also rank second in the CACC, while he is also 24th in the league in grabbing 5.3 rebounds a contest for a guard.

Miles Gillette also averages double figures for the Wildcats with 13.6 points per game, while leading the team in grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game. Gillette ranked eighth in the CACC in rebounds per contest. Shawn Church is the final Wildcat in double figures on the year, scoring 11.6 points per game while making 2.5 three-pointers a contest.

As a team, the Wildcats are fifth in the CACC in scoring 74.9 points per game and fifth overall in only allowing 72.8 points a contest. In CACC play only, the Wildcats also rank fifth in the league in scoring 74.7 points a game and rank sixth on defense in allowing 72.2 points a game.

Scouting the North No. 2 Dominican College Chargers:

The Chargers earned the North Division’s number two seed with a 13-6 CACC record. They went 19-9 overall throughout the regular season and were routinely in the D2SIDA East Regional Poll. They are currently number seven in the latest NCAA Division II East Regional Rankings.

Dominican ended the regular season on a two-game losing streak, falling to Concordia on Wednesday and to Nyack on Saturday. The game against Concordia snapped a five-game winning streak the Chargers had throughout the start of February.

The Chargers are led by Daniel Grant who scores 16.0 points per game, ranking 12th in the CACC. Daraja Rodwell is 24th in the CACC in scoring 12.8 points per game. Ian Gardner is 29th in the CACC and the final Charger in double figures, scoring 12.2 points per game on the year.

Jonathan Garcia leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per contest while Daniel Grant dishes out 3.3 assists per contest.

As a team, Dominican is ninth in the CACC in scoring 71.2 points per game but gives up the third fewest points in the CACC at 69.5 points per game. In CACC play, the Chargers rank 10th in the league in scoring 71.1 points per game and again ranks third in the league in only allowing 69.4 points per game.

All-Time Series vs. Dominican:

Tuesday will be the 19th meeting between the two programs since the Wildcats joined the NCAA ranks for the 2004-05 season The Wildcats had a three-game winning streak against the Chargers snapped in the regular season this year, falling on the road, 72-63, on February 10. The Chargers now lead the all-time series, 13-5.

The Wildcats and Chargers met once in the CACC Tournament, playing a quarterfinal matchup in the 2014-15 season when Dominican was the North Division Regular Season Champion. The Wildcats defeated the Chargers, 69-67, with a last second buzzer beater by Rashaun Rasheed. The Wildcats carried that momentum all the way to the CACC Tournament Championship game. They went 5-3 in January and 5-2 in the month of February.

The Chargers are led by Daniel Grant who scores 16.0 points per game, ranking 12th in the CACC. Daraja Rodwell is 24th in the CACC in scoring 12.8 points per game. Ian Gardner is 29th in the CACC and the final Charger in double figures, scoring 12.2 points per game on the year.

Jonathan Garcia leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per contest while Daniel Grant dishes out 3.3 assists per contest.

As a team, Dominican is ninth in the CACC in scoring 71.2 points per game but gives up the third fewest points in the CACC at 69.5 points per game. In CACC play, the Chargers rank 10th in the league in scoring 71.1 points per game and again ranks third in the league in only allowing 69.4 points per game.

Wilmington In the CACC Tournament:

2009-10 (0-1): S#2 Goldey-Beacom 79 – S#3 Wilmington 71
2014-15 (2-1): S#4 Wilmington 69 – N#1 Dominican 67; S#4 Wilmington 75 – S#2 Holy Family 71; S#1 Philadelphia 77 – S#4 Wilmington 68
2016-17 (0-1): N#3 Caldwell 81 – S#2 Wilmington 74

Overall: 2-3

Season Series and All-Time vs. CACC Tournament Participants:

North Division:
#1 Bloomfield College: 2017-18 – vs. L 89-90; All-Time – 3-14; CACC Tournament – 0-0
#2 Dominican College: 2017-18 – at L 72-63; All-Time – 5-13; CACC Tournament – 1-0
#3 Caldwell University: 2017-18 – at L 86-64; All-Time – 6-12; CACC Tournament – 0-1
#4 Felician University: 2017-18 – vs. W 82-76; All-Time – 4-12; CACC Tournament 0-0

South Division:
#1 Goldey-Beacom College: 2017-18 – at W 61-59/vs. L 79-71; All-Time – 8-21; CACC Tournament – 0-1
#2 Jefferson University: 2017-18 – at L 84-81 (OT)/vs. W 79-61; All-Time – 6-21; CACC Tournament – 0-1
#3 Wilmington University
#4 University of the Sciences: 2017-18 – vs. L 83-58/at W 61-54; All-Time – 9-19; CACC Tournament – 0-0

2017-18 CACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule:

First Round (Tuesday, Feb. 27)
S#4 USciences at N#1 Bloomfield (7:30 p.m.)
N#3 Caldwell at S#2 Jefferson (7:30 p.m.)
N#4 Felician at S#1 Goldey-Beacom (7 p.m.)
S#3 Wilmington at N#2 Dominican (7 p.m.)

* - Min. 30 minutes put on pre-game countdown clock prior to Bloomfield & Jefferson games due to DH

Banquet (Friday, March 2)
Banquet will be held at the Philadelpia Cricket Club (7 p.m., Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.)
Address: 415 West Willow Grove Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118

Semifinals (Saturday, March 3)
Bloomfield/USciences vs. Jefferson/Caldwell (5 or 7 p.m.)
G-B/Felician vs. Dominican/WilmU (5 or 7 p.m.)

* - Highest remaining seed will play in the night's first game
** - Min. 30 minutes put on the clock between Saturday's semifinal games

Championship Final (Sunday, March 4)
Semifinal Winner vs. Semifinal Winner (2:30 p.m.)

The semifinals and final will be held at the Gallagher Center on the Jefferson campus.

 

[dawrestling]

SUBJECT: Nick Richards and Jermaine Head Honored as CACC Announces 2017-18 Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams and Major Awards

DATE: February 27, 2018
djl

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Heading into the 2018 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, the conference office has announced the Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams and a pair of Wilmington University student-athletes have been honored by the league’s 14 head coaches.

Redshirt sophomore Jermaine Head has become the program’s first ever CACC Rookie of the Year while also earning Second Team All-CACC accolades. Senior Nick Richards earns his second All-Conference honor of his career, this time being named First Team All-CACC.

Richards (New Castle, Del./Hodgson Vo-Tech) heads into the CACC Tournament First Round game as the CACC leading scorer, pouring in 20.8 points per game while shooting at a 52.3 percent from the field. The senior is also 13th in the league in grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game, 15th in the league with 83 assists, and eighth in the league with 47 steals. He is also first in the league in scoring 21.2 points per game in CACC contests only.

Richards has scored in double figures in all but one of his games this year, while scoring 20 or more points in 14 games. He scored a season high 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting against Felician while also scoring 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 12-of-15 from the foul line against Post. Richards has four double-doubles on the year, grabbing a season’s best 15 rebounds in the season opener against NYIT.He also dished out a season high nine assists against LIU Post and picked off five steals at Nyack.

Head (Edgewood, Md./Joppatowne) leads all rookies and is fourth in the CACC in scoring 18.4 points per game. The point guard does it all for the Wildcats, as he also grabs 5.3 rebounds, dishes out 4.7 assists, and gets 2.2 steals per game. He is second in the league with 132 assists, setting a new Wilmington single season program record. A total of 98 assists have come against CACC opponents, topping all other players in the conference. He is also second in the league with 61 total steals on the year.

The redshirt sophomore has scored 23 or more points in the final five games of the regular season, finishing the year with 12 games with 20 or more points. The led the team to a big second half comeback victory at Millersville with a season high 32 points, shooting 13-of-24 from the floor. He’s hit six three-pointers twice this year, first going 6-for-9 from deep at Chestnut Hill, then 6-for-10 from long distance at Georgian Court. Head had a season high 12 assists against Concordia, and has been close to a triple-double on numerous occasions.

Goldey-Beacom’s Corey Taite has been voted as the CACC Player of the Year while USciences’ Flo Da-Silva takes home the CACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Bloomfield’s Gerald Holmes was voted as the CACC Coach of the Year by the league’s sports information directors and Nyack earned the CACC Team Sportsmanship Award.

The Wildcats begin their 2018 postseason with a CACC Tournament First Round game at Dominican Tuesday night. The Wildcats earned the South Division’s number three seed with an 11-8 conference record, going 16-12 overall.

AGATE:

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM:
Nick Davidson (Bloomfield College)
Daniel Grant (Dominican College)
Nick Richards (Wilmington University)
Terrell Spaulding (Felician University)
Corey Taite (Goldey-Beacom College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM:
Flo Da-Silva (University of the Sciences)
Tyler Desrosiers (Post University)
Jermaine Head (Wilmington University)
Kaison Randolph (Jefferson)
Keith Washington (Bloomfield College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM:
Safee Abdus-Sabur (Bloomfield College)
Derek Dorn (Caldwell University)
Alexander Gorton (Jefferson)
Will Gregorits (University of the Sciences)
Dante Thompson (Goldey-Beacom College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Corey Taite (Goldey-Beacom College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Jermaine Head (Wilmington University)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Flo Da-Silva (University of the Sciences)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR:
Gerald Holmes (Bloomfield College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD:
Nyack College