LAKEWOOD, N.J. – In their its game of the New Year, the Wilmington University men's basketball team defeated Georgian Court, 89-77, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup Wednesday afternoon at the Wellness Center Arena.
The Wildcats (6-6, 3-1 CACC) made 18 of their 30 shots in the first half for a 60 percent shooting percentage to the Lions' (2-10, 1-2 CACC) 38 percent.
Wilmington was able to get out to a 11-6 start against the Lions just 3:34 into the game. Georgian Court would score three times before the Wildcats converted on a turnaround jumper from Jordan Harding in the paint to retake the one-point lead, 13-12 with 14:27 left in the first half. Within the next four minutes Georgian Court would tie the game twice until Ed Henderson started a 12-point run for the Wildcats off a three-pointer. WilmU would hit three consecutive threes to give them the 32-20 lead with 8:54 left in the half.
The Wildcats would keep the Lions from scoring for 3:17 before they connected on a made free throw. Danny Walsh would hit the Wildcats seventh three of the half to give WilmU their largest lead of the game of 14 points to make it a 37-25 lead with 5:23 to go in the first half. The Lions made it a 38-33 game after going on a 7-0 run, but Wilmington would take an eight point lead into halftime, 44-36.
Thomas Farrior hit a trey ball to start the second half off for the Wildcats followed by a pull-up jumper from Danny Walsh in transition to give the Wildcats a 49-36 lead just 51 seconds into the half. The Lions would answer on an 11-2 run to bring the game within four points, 51-47 with 15:38 left to play, but WilmU would answer on their own 8-0 run started by Jermaine Head's two made free throws to bring their lead back to 10.
The Wildcats would keep their steady lead around 10 points, before Georgian Court came within six points with 3:15 to go in the game. Head would get an end one on a made lay up in the paint and go to the foul-line to convert the three-point play to give the Wildcats the 80-71 lead. Georgian Court would only get within eight points, before putting Jermaine Head back to the foul line twice, where he made four free-throws for the Wildcats to take the game, 89-77.
In his first game of the season, Thomas Farrior led the Wildcats with 28 points, going 13-22 from the floor. Jermaine Head was one rebound away from a double-double, as the red-shirt junior recorded 25 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Head also went 12-13 from the free-throw line. Jordan Harding went 4-5 from the floor for 11 points, and seven rebounds, as Danny Walsh went 4-9 from the floor with nine points.
The Wildcats are back home for a double-header with the women on Saturday when Nyack comes to the WU Athletics Complex. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.