ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - - The middle quarters left the Wilmington University women's basketball searching for its first win of the season, falling at Molloy, 81-57, on Wednesday night inside Quealy Gymnasium.
The Wildcats (0-7) got off to a fast start against the Lions (4-1), jumping out to a 19-16 lead after the first quarter and taking their largest lead of the game, 23-16, with 8:12 left in the second quarter before the Lions battled back.
Wilmington continued to lead, 27-22, with 5:26 left in the half as Jaelyn Durrett made one of two from the foul line. The Lions scored five straight to tie the game at 27 before taking the lead, 29-28, with a layup with 3:16 to play. From the point of the 27-22 lead, the Lions would go on to outscore the Wildcats, 20-3, the rest of the quarter and take a 42-30 lead into the halftime break.
Back-to-back buckets early in the third brought the Wildcats to within nine points, and Macy Robinson had them to within nine once more, 46-37, with a layup with 6:49 left in the third. But the Lions went on a 12-0 run to close out the final 3:21 of the third quarter, widening their lead out to 61-39.
Molloy took its largest lead of the night early in the fourth quarter, 63-39, before the Wildcats attempted a late game comeback. Jonna Maddox started a run with a jumper, followed by layups from Jaelyn Durrett and Macy Robinson to get to within 17, 65-48. Jadyn Whitsitt brought the Wildcats to within 14 points moments later with a three-pointer, 65-51, with 4:55 left to play. A Durrett three-pointer had the game at 14-points once again, 70-56, with 3:01 remaining, but that would be as close as the Wildcats could get in the fourth quarter. The Lions finished the game off with an 11-1 run down the stretch.
Macy Robinson led the Wildcats with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Nyree Grant finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Jaelyn Durrett came off the bench and scored 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting with two three-pointers.
Wednesday was the final tune-up for the Wildcats before they open Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action next Tuesday night at the WU Athletics Complex. The women start a CACC doubleheader against Jefferson with the opening tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m.