CALDWELL, N.J. - - The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division leading Caldwell women's basketball team had the hot hand on Wednesday, shooting its way past Wilmington University, 91-66, at the Newman Center.
The Cougars (13-3, 6-1 CACC) showed a complete team victory on Wednesday, getting five players with double digits in points, with their fifth starter finishing with nine points. Caldwell outrebounded the Wildcats (5-10, 2-5 CACC) 46-31, and turned 18 turnovers into 28 points for the home team. The Cougars also dominated in the paint, outscoring the Wildcats, 58-28, under the basket, shooting 52 percent from the floor for the game.
Macy Robinson hit a three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 17-16 in the first quarter, but a quick 7-0 spurt led to a 9-4 run over the final 2:25 of the frame to grab a 26-20 lead going into the second quarter.
The Cougars took their first double-digit lead with 6:33 left in the second, 36-25. The Wildcats closed the gap to as few as seven points following Robinson's second three-pointer of the game, 42-35, but the Cougars answered with the final five points of the quarter to take a 47-35 lead into the locker room.
A quick 6-0 run early in the third quarter brought the Wildcats back to within single digits at 52-43, before a personal 5-0 run by Mikala Casimir had the Wildcats to within as few as 54-48 with 5:56 showing on the clock. Still down 56-50, the Wildcats couldn't get any close before the Cougars rattled off the next 11 points to regain a double-digit lead, 67-50, with one minute left in the third. A three-pointer at the end of the quarter put the Cougars up 70-52 going into the final frame.
Caldwell extended their lead to as large as 26 points, as a three-pointer widened the margin to 81-55 with 5:25 left in the game. The Cougars went on to take the fourth quarter, 21-14, to win the game, 91-66.
Freshman Jadyn Whitsitt set a new season high with 22 points, shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line. She added four rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Emma Matthews started hot with 14 points in the first half, but that's all she finished with as she shot 6-of-14 from the floor to go with a team high six assists. Nyree Grant was the final Wildcat to reach double figures with 11 points, adding four rebounds. Robinson collected eight points, grabbing a team high eight rebounds while adding two assists, two steals, and a block.
The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday as they square off against another CACC North Division foes in Concordia. The Wildcats return home and are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off at the WU Athletics Complex.