The Wilmington University women's basketball team stormed back from a 16 point second half deficit to take a lead before falling, 82-79, at Post in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action on Saturday at the Drubner Center.
The Wildcats (1-8, 0-3 CACC) faced a 12-point halftime deficit and as large as a 16-point deficit with 16:09 remaining in regulation before going on a 30-to-13 run to take a brief 68-67 lead with 7:16 showing on the scoreboard. Post (3-3, 3-0 CACC) responded with a pair of free throws to retake the lead and never relinquished it again.
The Eagles sped out of the gates in the first half, taking a 27-17 lead with 9:36 left in the half. The Eagles' Lexus Childs-Harris put in a free throw with 2:43 to play to give the home team its largest lead of the half, 43-27. Buckets by Tenicia Spence and Patricia Miranda cut the deficit to 10 points before the teams went into the locker room at a 45-33 score.
A 6-0 run in the beginning of the second half gave the Eagles a 51-35 lead with 17:55 to play. Still trailing by 16 with 16:09 left, the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run to start their 30-13 spurt. A final 9-0 run capped by layups from Tashea Plummer and Zameria Jones gave the Wildcats a 68-67 lead with 7:16 left to play in regulation.
But the Eagles responded with a pair of free throws seven seconds later to retake the lead, 69-68. Post's lead grew to six before the Wildcats attempted another late comeback. Back-to-back layups by Jones had the deficit at three points before a pair of free throws from Spence brought the Wildcats to within one at 76-75 with 2:40 left in regulation.
Post again thwarted the comeback effort, hitting a jumper 10 seconds later to keep the Wildcats at bay. The Eagles extended the lead back out to seven before setting on the final, 82-79.
Spence paced the Wildcats with 25 points off the bench while Jones finished with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Miranda also ended in double-digits, collecting 13 points off the bench. Plummer added 12 rebounds off the bench for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats shot 36 percent from the floor (31-for-86) but only 2-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc. The Wildcats got to the line 30 times on the afternoon, but only made 15. The Eagles shot 40 percent (28-of-70) form the floor and hit 7-of-12 from beyond the three-point arc. The home team also went 19-of-30 from the foul line.
The Wildcats remain on the road for their next contest as they head to CACC South Division foe Holy Family on Wednesday. The women tip off at 6 p.m.
