Five Wilmington University men's basketball student-athletes scored in double digits as the Wildcats swept the season series from Georgian Court with a 67-60 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory on Tuesday night in the Campus Center.
Senior Kevin Ohen led the Wildcats with 15 points but the Wildcats (4-13, 3-6 CACC) received double-digit scoring efforts from four other student-athletes to help end a six-game losing streak and win both games of the season series against the CACC South rival Lions (3-13, 0-9 CACC).
The Wildcats shot only 34.5 percent from the floor in the game, shooting 19-of-55 from the floor. But nine of the 19 makes from the floor were from three-point territory and the Wildcats shot 20-of-31 from the foul line, as compared to the Lions' 12-of-21 performance from the charity stripe.
The Lions jumped out to an early 8-4 lead before the teams went back and forth through the first 13 minutes of action in the first half. Tied at 18-18 with 7:02 to play in the opening half, the Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to separate themselves, capped by a Tyaire Ponzo-Meek three-pointer with 2:39 remaining in the half.
The run allowed the Wildcats to head into the halftime break with a 32-23 advantage.
The Wildcats kept the Lions at bay through the first 10 minutes of the first half, hitting three-point jumpers to answer every mini-run by the home team. Valentino Thompson hit another three-pointer with 8:10 to play in regulation to give the Wildcats a 51-40 advantage, the ninth and final trifecta of the game.
Trailing by as many as 15 points with 3:48 to play, the Lions cut into the deficit to as few as six points but with 22 seconds showing on the scoreboard. Thompson made 3-of-4 from the foul line for the rest of the game to seal the victory.
Thompson and Sam Sanders scored 14 points while each grabbing four rebounds as well. Ponzo-Meek scored 12 points while Shai Henry came off the bench to add 10 points and seven rebounds. Thompson, Ponzo-Meek, and Ohen each went 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc. Thompson finished with five assists while Ohen added four helpers.
Ta'Vaune Griffin led the Wildcats on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds while adding four blocks off the bench.
The Lions were led by Jordan Wejnert's double-double, tallying game highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Lions shot 37.7 percent from the floor but only went 2-of-14 from deep.
The Wildcats have six days to prepare for their next road game, as they head to Millersville for their final nonconference contest of the 2014-15 season. The Wildcats and Marauders will tip off on Monday at 7 p.m.