Video recap at the bottom of the release.
NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University men's basketball shot the lights out while never trailing in a 79-61 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division battle against Jefferson on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats (10-8, 5-4 CACC) snapped a two-game losing streak by shooting 53.3 percent from the floor for the game. They went 11-of-20 from beyond the three-point arc, going 8-of-12 from deep in the second half to finish off the Rams (11-9, 6-3 CACC). It is the first time in the program's NCAA era that they won games in back-to-back years against Jefferson (formerly Philadelphia University).
The first three-pointer fell with 17:18 showing on the clock, as Jermaine Head gave the Wildcats a 7-2 early lead. Shawn Church gave the Wildcats their first double digit lead with another three-pointer, hitting one with 7:57 to play in the first for the 24-14 lead. Miles Gillette converted an old fashioned three-point play with under a minute to play, putting the team back in front, 34-24, with 46 seconds left. But a turnover gave the Rams one last chance in the half, and they made it count to only go into the locker room down eight, 34-26.
The second half was catapulted by a decisive 15-0 run, after the Rams clawed back to within 44-35 with 14:44 left in regulation.
Head started the spurt with a three-pointer before Church made it two in a row with a long-distance shot to give the Wildcats a 50-35 lead. Gillette kept the run going with a three-pointer of his own before Nick Richards capped the trend with a rebound and coast to coast layup, putting the Wildcats up 59-35 with 10:51 to play.
The Rams ended the scoreless run with a three-pointer of their own, but the Wildcats answered with a Richards' jumper and back-to-back three-pointers by Church and Danny Walsh to complete the 23-3 game deciding run. Walsh gave the Wildcats a 67-38 lead, their largest of the game, with 9:17 left in regulation.
The Rams closed the game on a 23-12 run, but it was too little too late for the visitors as the Wildcats produced their second largest victory over the Rams in program history, 79-61.
Gillette led the Wildcats with his seventh double-double of the year, scoring a game high 24 points with 10 rebounds. Five of his rebounds came on the offensive end for easy put back buckets. Richards added 19 points with six rebounds while Church hit three three-pointer for 15 points and five rebounds. Head stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, hitting four three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Wildcats are in fourth place in the CACC South Division, but only a game back from tying USciences, Goldey-Beacom, and Jefferson for first place in the division. The Wildcats head to Nyack for a cross-divisional contest on Saturday for their next test. They follow the women's game with an approximate start time of 3:00 p.m. in Nyack, New York.
