Big Second Quarter Helps Women’s Basketball Past Holy Family For First Win, 65-49

Copyright 2018; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Macy Robinson who scored 17 points and added 15 rebounds in the win at Holy Family. Photo by Frank Stallworth. December 8, 2018 vs. Goldey-Beacom.
Copyright 2018; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Macy Robinson who scored 17 points and added 15 rebounds in the win at Holy Family. Photo by Frank Stallworth. December 8, 2018 vs. Goldey-Beacom.

Press Release Written by Sports Information Graduate Intern MaryKate Rumbaugh. 

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – With a 21-7 second quarter, the Wilmington University women's basketball team broke away from Holy Family to secure their first win of the season, 65-49, in their final Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game before the holiday at the Campus Center Gym Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (1-9, 1-2 CACC) shot 47.3 percent from the floor for night to the Tigers' (2-7, 0-3 CACC) 31.3 percent.

WilmU came out of the gate on a 7-0 run within the first two minutes of the game against the Tigers. Holy Family was able to come within one with 4:03 left in the first quarter, but back-to-back buckets from Jadyn Whitsitt would put the Wildcats back up, 16-10. Wilmington would score four more points to win the quarter, 20-14.

Macy Robinson would put the Wildcats up 27-19 with 7:14 to play in the second quarter as the Wildcats looked to extend their lead. The Wildcats wouldn't score again until the 4:56 mark in the quarter on a free throw by Nyree Grant. But then WilmU was able to go on a 14-0 run until 50 seconds left in the quarter, when the Tigers would score for the first time in 4:06. Kiara Eubanks would end the quarter with a layup to give the Wildcats a 20-point lead into halftime, 41-21. WilmU shot 55.2 percent from the floor in the first half.

Robinson would knock down her second made three-pointer of the game to open up the second half for the Wildcats, before Jadyn Whitsitt gave Wilmington their biggest lead of the game, 50-26, with 4:20 to play in the third quarter. The Tigers tried keeping the score under 20, but the Wildcats continued to keep the 20-point lead, making it a 54-34 game going in to the final quarter.

WilmU came out slow in the fourth, not knocking down their first shot until 6:57, but were able to keep Holy Family to one shot during the same timeframe. The Tigers would decrease their deficit to 16 with 5:20 left to play, before coming within 13 with 3:11 in the game, forcing WilmU to call just their second timeout of the second half.

Wilmington would not score for 3:32, before Macy Robinson knocked down her third and final three of the night to put the Wildcats up 61-45 with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter. The Tigers would get two more jump shots, but the Wildcats would end the game by two made free-throws from Robinson to secure the victory, 65-49.

Wilmington was just 1-25 against the Tigers before the 2016-17 season. Tonight's 16-point win for the Wildcats was their largest win against Holy Family since both teams met in 2004. They are 3-2 against the Tigers in their last five meetings.

Jadyn Whitsitt would score 16 of her total 18 points in the first half, going 6-7 from the floor, while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists to lead the Wildcats. Macy Robinson would tie her career-high 15 rebounds in the game, while securing the double-double with 17 points. Kiara Eubanks came off the bench with 12 points going a perfect 6-6 from the floor. Nyree Grant added eight points, while going 4-6 from the free-throw line.

The Wildcats shot 50 percent from behind the arc, while Holy Family shot 14.8 percent for the night.

Wilmington will be back at it after the Holiday, when they travel to Hofstra University on Saturday December 29 for an exhibition matchup with the Pride. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. against the NCAA Division I foe.