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Press Release Written by Sports Information Graduate Intern MaryKate Intern
NEWARK, Del. – In another close nonconference matchup with PSAC challenger Millersville, the Wilmington University men's basketball team came out on top, 77-71, at the WU Athletics Complex on Tuesday night.
It was the Wildcats' third straight victory over the Marauders, with all three games being played within six points.
The Wildcats (3-3) shots were on tonight, as they shot 49 percent from the floor throughout both halves, compared to Millersville's (3-3) 44 percent field goal percentage.
Danny Walsh got the Wildcats on the board first, making back-to-back three-pointers out of the gate. Wilmington jumped out to a ten-point lead with 13:16 left in the half making it an 18-8 game, before forcing Millersville into their first timeout of the game. Wilmington had its largest lead of the night of 15 with 10:26 left in the half, before the Marauders hit two back-to-back threes to come within nine. Jermaine Head's layup would give the Wildcats two more points, but Millersville answered with a 9-0 run to make it a 30-27 game with 4:42 left in the first half.
A Jordan Harding layup would put Wilmington up three with 2:45 to play, but Millersville was able to answer with a three from Amadou Kaba to tie the game with 1:24 left. The Marauders were able to get one more shot to go in to go up, 38-36, and take the two-point lead into halftime.
Just 14 seconds into the second half, Tyler Norwood put the Wildcats back in front, 39-38, but the Marauders answered again with a 5-0 run to go up, 43-39. Wilmington would get within one, 46-45, but could not connect on another shot for 2:16, still trailing, 50-47. Millersville would jump out, 56-51, for their largest lead of the game, but a trey ball from Jordan Harding and a made layup from Walsh would tie the game at 56 apiece.
It was back and forth action until the Wildcats re-took the lead, 68-64 with 2:36 left to play. Jermaine Head and Danny Walsh would hit back-to-back three-pointers to give WilmU a 71-67 lead with 1:08 to play, before forcing a Millersville timeout. The Marauders were able to come within two again, but a Denzil Haynes dunk and made free throws from Danny Walsh would seal the victory, 77-71.
Freshman Tyler Norwood had a career-high 23 points, going 10-16 from the floor, while dishing out five assists. Danny Walsh recorded 14 points, going 2-4 from deep, as Denzil Haynes secured his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Jermaine Head added seven assists and nine points, as Dawson Grinnage controlled the glass with 12 boards, while adding eight points.
Despite only shooting 50 percent from the foul line to the Marauders' 63 percent, Wilmington was able to combat that by scoring 17 points off of their opponents' 16 turnovers.
The Wildcats will start CACC play when they host the top team in the South, Jefferson next Tuesday night in a double-header with the women. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m.
