Defense Gives Wilmington Women’s Basketball 73-56 Wire-to-Wire CACC Victory over Georgian Court

Defense Gives Wilmington Women’s Basketball 73-56 Wire-to-Wire CACC Victory over Georgian Court

Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Jocelyn Rodriguez after one of her seven steals.

NEWARK, Del. - - The defense paced the Wilmington University women's basketball team to a 73-56 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division victory over Georgian Court on Wednesday night at the WU Athletics Complex.

The Wildcats (9-10, 4-6 CACC) forced 35 turnovers, picked up 16 steals, and added seven blocked shots to lead wire-to-wire over the Lions (5-13, 3-7 CACC). The Wildcats turned the 35 turnovers into 23 points at the other end of the floor while also controlling the paint defensively, allowing only eight points by the Lions in the lane.

Despite only shooting 33 percent from the floor for the game, the Wildcats grabbed 27 offensive rebounds and produced 16-second chance points. The Wildcats also controlled the paint on the offensive end, outscoring the Lions, 38-8, in the lane for the game.

The Wildcats used a quick 6-0 spurt in the middle of the second quarter to really take command. Jordan Hawkins laid one in and then Jocelyn Rodriguez picked up one of her seven steals in the game and converted the full court layup. Macy Robinson followed suit with another steal and layup to give the Wildcats a 28-16 lead with 5:43 left in the quarter.

Holding onto a 12-point lead at the halftime break, the Wildcats took their largest lead of the night at the end of the third quarter. An Ebonee Dixon free throw started a 13-5 run for the Wildcats, as Tenicia Spence hit a three-pointer early and Lindsay Bradford capped the run with a made free throw and then a jumper to give the Wildcats a 51-30 lead.

Spence paced the Wildcats with 16 points, hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc on the night. Rodriguez came up with those seven steals, tied for the second most in a single game in program history, and scored 11 points. Hawkins added nine points while also grabbing a team high 13 rebounds and picking up a team high four blocks.

Ashri Broadwater added eight points and 12 rebounds while Bradford finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats have a short turnaround for their next contest, as Saturday's home game has been moved up a day to Friday to try and beat the incoming weather. The Wildcats will take on Concordia on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.