NEWARK, Del. - - Ten different players scored as the Wilmington University men's basketball team ran away with its 2017-18 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener over Holy Family, 97-63, on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
The 34-point margin of victory is the most against a CACC opponent for the Wildcats (5-3, 1-0 CACC) and the second biggest win in the program's NCAA era. The 2008-09 Wildcats defeated Penn State-Abington by 38 on November 21, 2008. The 97 points are tied for the third most in a single game for the Wildcats, joining last year's team that scored 97 against Nyack on February 4.
The Wildcats out-rebounded the Tigers (1-6, 0-2 CACC), 49-35, for the game, leading to a 15-6 advantage in second chance points. The Wildcats also used the three-pointer to gain a big advantage tonight, hitting 15 in the game on 33 attempts. At the other end, the Tigers only hit 7-of-29 from three-point territory.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to get going, as they went on a 15-0 stretch in just 2:25 of game time to take a 27-8 lead. Nick Richards and Danny Walsh hit back-to-back three-pointers before Richards finished off an old fashioned three-point play for the 25-8 lead. Miles Gillette hit a jumper to cap the run, giving the home team the 27-8 lead with 11:32 to play in the half.
Shawn Church started to heat up, scoring five straight and later hitting another three-pointer to give the Wildcats a 45-26 lead with 3:15 showing on the clock. Dawson Grinnage crossed the half-century mark for the Wildcats in the first half with a three-pointer, sending the Wildcats into the break leading 52-31.
The Wildcats maintained the lead throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half before busting it wide open.
Danny Walsh sparked another 10-0 run with a three-pointer followed by a layup form Richards. Grinnage hit a left elbow jumper before Walsh ended the run and gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the night, 84-45, with 6:49 left in regulation. Grinnage hit back-to-back three-pointers before Xavier Alston and Ed Henderson II got in on the scoring action late in the half.
Richards led the Wildcats with 24 points, shooting 7-of-16 from the floor while adding seven assists and five rebounds. Gillette recorded his second straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in only 19 minutes while Church hit three three-pointers for 13 points. Grinnage was the final Wildcat in double digits with three three-pointers for 11 points off the bench.
The Wildcats remain in CACC play with their next contest, as they head across town to square off against CACC rival Goldey-Beacom on Saturday afternoon. They cap the CACC doubleheader at the Joseph West Jones Center with a 3:00 p.m. tipoff.
