Late Three Deflates Men’s Basketball as USciences Fights Back for 67-66 CACC Victory

File photo of Justin Thomas who scored 23 points at USciences. Copyright 2021; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Trudy Spence. December 4, 2021 vs. Holy Family.
File photo of Justin Thomas who scored 23 points at USciences. Copyright 2021; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Trudy Spence. December 4, 2021 vs. Holy Family.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - A three-pointer with 17-seconds left sank the Wilmington University men's basketball team on Tuesday, 67-66, as USciences fought back for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory inside Bobby Morgan Arena.

The Wildcats (3-7, 1-2 CACC) led by as many as eight points late in the second half, and carried a four-point lead with 59 seconds left before the Devils (2-5, 2-0 CACC) scored the final five points of the game, including a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to take the lead.

With time left for a final shot, the Wildcats turned the ball over and was forced to foul to put the Devils on the line. Still down a single point, a last-ditch effort off the fingertips of Randy Rickards was off the mark as the buzzer sounded, giving the Devils the CACC South Division victory.

A 10-0 run in the first half gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead with 12:17 showing on the clock, and they were able to maintain the lead until the Devils knotted the score at 21-21 with 5:38 left in the half. Another 6-0 run put the Wildcats back on top, 27-21, but the Devils closed out the half on an 8-1 spurt to take a 29-28 lead into the break.

A quick 5-0 run to start the second half gave the Wildcats a 33-29 lead but once again the Devils fought back to tie the score, 33-33. The game would again be tied at 41-41 and 43-43 before the Wildcats made a push. Buckets from Caleb Matthews, Danny Walsh, and Taalib Holloman put the Wildcats back up six, 49-43, with 9:59 to play.

Another 5-0 push by Justin Thomas, including an old fashioned three-point play gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 56-48, with 5:22 left in regulation. The Devils whittled the Wildcats' lead back down to a pair with 3:36 to play for another old-fashioned three-point play by Randy Rickards pushed the Wildcats' lead back out to five, 60-55. The team's traded buckets down the stretch as Justin Thomas made it a four-point game with 1:34 to play before Caleb Matthews gave the Wildcats a 66-62 lead with 59 seconds on the clock. That would be the last points of the game for the Wildcats, however.

Justin Thomas led the Wildcats with 23 points while grabbing eight rebounds, shooting 9-for-16 from the floor. Randy Rickards scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, finishing with a double-double with 12 rebounds. Caleb Matthews came off the bench to scored nine points while dishing out five assists.

The Devils were led by Joemel McNair's 22 points off the bench while Jordan Davidson was the one who hit the late three-pointer, finishing with 10 points.

The Wildcats will step outside of the CACC for another midweek game on Thursday, as they make the short trip to Lincoln University. The contest is slated for a 7:40 p.m. tip.