RUTHERFORD, N.J. - - The Wilmington University men's basketball team had a hard time finding the bottom of the net in the second half as Felician pulled away for a 90-72 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross divisional win in Job Gym on Saturday.
After a high scoring first half in which each team shot over 50 percent from field and combined for 100 points, the Wildcats (9-13, 6-7 CACC) only scored 25 points in the second half, shooting 22.5 percent after the break. Felician (10-10, 8-5 CACC) grew its lead to as large as 27 in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats, 37-25.
The first half was a three-point barrage, with the Wildcats shooting 9-for-16 from distance while the Golden Falcons went 11-for-23 from beyond the arc. At one point in the first half, the only made field goals were six consecutive three-point attempts by both teams. The final three-pointer of the stretch gave Felician a 26-20 lead with 11:26 left.
Omari Dill-Pettiford hit a three-pointer and Jermaine Head completed an old fashioned three-point play to take a 35-34 advantage with 6:37 before the break. Jordan Harding hit a three-pointer to give the Wildcats a four-point lead while Thomas Farrior kept it at four with a layup, 42-38, with 4:17 showing on the clock.
Felician answered with a n eight-point run to take a 46-42 lead and used another 7-0 run to take a 53-44 advantage. Jermaine Head hit a three-pointer with 1:25 left in the half, capping the scoring for the first half with the Wildcats trailing, 53-47.
Felician took its first double-digit lead with a jumper with 16:28 left in regulation, 60-50. That was a part of a 10-0 run that put the Golden Falcons up 65-50 just five minutes into the second half. The lead continued to grow for the home team, gaining a 21-point lead with a dunk, 75-54, with 11:51 to play.
Felician took its largest lead of the game with a three-pointer, 83-56, with 6:35 to play in regulation before settling on the final score, 90-72.
Jermaine Head had 15 of his 19 in the first half, adding eight points, eight assists, and three steals. Danny Walsh hit three three-pointers for 17 points while Jordan Harding scored 10 points to go with six rebounds.
The Wildcats shot 27-for-75 for the game (36%) while hitting 14-for-38 (36.8%) from beyond the three-point arc. Felician out-rebounded the Wildcats, 53-33, turning 14 offensive rebounds into 11-second chance points.
The Wildcats return home looking to snap their four-game losing streak when they host Georgian Court on Wednesday night. The Lions come to the WU Athletics Complex for an 8:00 p.m. tip-off.