PHILADELPHIA, PA. - - Down by its largest lead of the game at 11 points with just 3:39 left in regulation, The Wilmington University men's basketball team stormed back to force overtime, and scored the final six points of the extra sessions to defeat USciences, 89-87, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference road contest on Wednesday night.
Trailing late in regulation and on the comeback trail, it looked as though the Wildcats (7-9, 4-3 CACC) would be denied as the Devils' Paddy Casey banked in a contested three-pointer go take an 80-75 lead with just 28 seconds on the clock.
Jermaine Head scored Wilmington's final seven points, including the final five points following the Devils' three-pointer, using the momentum of two missed free throws to eventually tie the game. Head converted an old fashioned three-point play with 13 seconds left to tie the game, and the Devils missed their shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
The Devils took a four-point advantage with 2:15 left in the overtime period, but Jermaine Head started yet another comeback bid with a pair of free throws with 2:03 to play. The Devils went cold on the offensive end of the floor, and Thomas Farrior gave the Wildcats the lead, 88-87, with 32 seconds left. USciences' attempt at a three-pointer was well short, and the Wildcats secured the rebound. After Head made another free throw to go up by two points, he came away with a steal on the inbounds to seal the comeback victory, 89-87.
Head finished with a game high 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting, adding 7-of-13 from the foul line. He also contributed five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Danny Walsh went 5-of-9 from three-point territory and finished with 19 points while Thomas Farrior secured a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
In a back and forth first half, the Wildcats took their largest lead of the game, 32-25, on a Jordan Harding three-pointer with 3:29 to play before the break. But the Devils would go on a 12-1 run to end the half and go into the locker room with a 37-33 lead.
The Wildcats cut the game to 51-49 with 13:53 to play, but the Devils kept them at an arm's reach, leading 63-59 with 7:12 left. A 5-0 run put the home team up nine points a jumper gave the Devils their largest lead of the game, 73-62, with 3:39 showing on the clock. The Wildcats comeback started with a Jordan Harding three-pointer.
The Wildcats shot 46.3 percent from the floor, hitting 12-of-26 from three-pointer territory. The Devils shot 45.1 percent from the floor for the game, including 12-of-31 from three-point land. The Wildcats fed off 15 Devil turnovers.
Wilmington returns to action on Saturday when they return to the WU Athletics Complex for another CACC contest. The Wildcats square off against Dominican starting at 3:00 p.m.