NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The potent accuracy and range of Post University's Zach Krischer sank the Wilmington University men's basketball team, 75-67, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at the Pratt Center on Saturday afternoon.
Every time the Wildcats (10-15, 6-10 CACC) were able to either tie the game or get to within one in the second half the Eagles (12-14, 10-7 CACC) responded with a huge bucket, not allowing the 'Cat to ever get over the hump. Every time the Wildcats seemed to have the Eagles backpedaling at the end of a possession, Krischer would pick them up with a long range three-pointer.
After coming out of the halftime break down by two points, Jarvis Perry hit two free throws to tie the score at 33-33 right out of the gate. But that would be the only tie the Wildcats would see. The home team would get to within one point on five different occasions from that point on in the second half, but could never get that much needed stop or basket to take the lead.
After Post worked the lead back to four points following the tie game, Corye Payton nearly brought the Pratt Center down with a thunderous alley-oop dunk from Perry to make it 38-37 with 17:30 to play in regulation. But James Lee came right back and silenced the fans with a layup of his own to make it a three-point game again.
Payton again cut it to a one-point game three minutes later off a pass from Herbert Dennis, but Krischer hit one of his seven three-pointers in response. A defensive stop would have proved costly, because James Pee came down for the Wildcats on the next possession and nailed a three of his own to again make it a one-point game.
Pee sank another shot to make it 47-46 with 10:48 to play, but Krischer and Dantay Sanford hit back-to-back jumpers for the Eagles to push the lead back to five.
The Wildcats used one final push to take control of the game at the seven minute mark of the second half. Still down five points, Payton beat his man baseline and had a free lane to the hoop where he threw down his second dunk of the night to make it 57-54. Senior Brett Foskey pulled in a defensive rebound and pushed it ahead to Dennis who went the length of the court for a layup to make it 57-56 with 6:01 to play. But that would be as close as the Wildcats would get for the rest of the game.
Wilmington bid farewell to seven seniors prior to the game, and all seven contributed in this afternoon's game. Payton led the offensive attack for the Wildcats with 23 points in his last home game, shooting 10-for-18. Ed Freeman pulled in four rebounds and scored two points while classmate Mike Sammons scored four points and grabbed two boards. Foskey finished with two points and four rebounds as well, while Paco Boussougou contributed two points and a rebound. RJ Tucker grabbed a rebound off a missed three-pointer and Matt King's been out the past two-weeks with a wrist injury.
Krischer led the Eagles with 26 points, while Jerry Cummings added 16 and Jake Wilcox contributed 11. Saurnas Jackson finished with a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the Eagles.
Wilmington outshot the Eagles, 50 to 49.1 percent, but only managed to hit 5-of-20 from beyond the arc. Post went 7-for-17 from three-point land, with all seven being made by Krischer.
The Wildcats will wrap up the 2011-12 season on Tuesday, as they travel to play CACC South Division foe USciences for an 8 p.m. tip.
