NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University men's basketball team made a second half comeback in a close battle with crosstown rival Goldey-Beacom, but the visitors pulled out the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory late in the contest on Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.
Trailing by as many as 13 points early in the second half, the Wildcats (4-12, 1-5 CACC) rallied to take the lead with 9:15 to play, 57-56. They were able to again tie the game, 61-61, and then take a 66-65 lead with 2:03 to play, but the Lightning (8-7, 5-2 CACC) had the final say, scoring the final five points of the game.
Despite the loss, graduate student Danny Walsh still etched his name in Wildcat lore on Tuesday night, becoming just the sixth player in the NCAA era to record 1,000 career points. He needed six points on Tuesday night and was quick to the task, scoring two quick buckets and then hitting a straight away three-pointer at the 14:55 mark for his 1,001st career point. He finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting.
The Wildcats battled back to take a 25-24 lead in the first half, as Taalib Holloman scored on the Fastbreak with 7:17 to play before the break. But the Lightning took the lead right back and ended the half on a 21-8 run, taking a 45-33 lead into the lockerroom.
The Lightning scored the first point of the second half for their largest lead of the game, 46-33. Down 10, the Wildcats six straight to get within 51-47, and then a Danny Walsh elbow jumper brought the Wildcats to within a bucket, 53-51, with 13:48 to play. A pair from the line for Danny Walsh gave the Wildcats a 57-56 lead, but again the Lightning answered to regain control of the score.
Ethan Tarte tied the game, 61-61, with a layup with 3:56 to play but the visitor again scored the next two buckets to retake a four-point lead.
Danny Walsh hit two from the line and then hit a fast break three-pointer with 2:03 to play to take a 66-65 lead. The Wildcats had a pair of three-pointers late in the game, the first to extend the lead and the next to retake the lead, but both were off the mark. The Lightning then came down and hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to ice the contest, 70-66.
Randy Rickards was the only other Wildcat in double digits with 12 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Nalik Veasley came off the beck to grab a game high 12 boards.
The Wildcats are on the road for their next two contests, starting this weekend at Bloomfield. The Wildcats and Bears are scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. tip-off in Bloomfield, New Jersey, on Saturday.
