PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Danny Walsh hit a three-pointer to take the lead with 1:42 left in regulation, capping a 13-point, second half comeback as the Wilmington University men's basketball team defeated Chestnut Hill, 75-66, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division clash on Wednesday night inside Sorgenti Arena.
It was a slow start to the game for the Wildcats (5-11, 3-4 CACC), as the visitors missed their first five shots from the floor and was down 7-1 in the first five minutes. Despite the slow start and only shooting 23.3 percent from the floor in the first half, the end of the game was anything but slow.
The Griffins (3-13, 3-4 CACC) hit a three-pointer to open the second to take their largest lead of the game, 34-21. The Wildcats were able to cut the margin down to three, 36-33, but the Griffins had an answer and pushed the lead back out to 45-35 with 14:20 left.
Still down seven with 12:21 left, Jermaine Head had a 10-0 run all on his own, flipping the tide and giving the Wildcats life. Head had a tip-in and a three-pointer, followed by a steal and an old-fashioned three-point play to take a 48-47 lead. Another layup put the Wildcats up 50-47 with 9:26 to play.
The Griffins didn't back down, however, as they went on their own 9-0 run, hitting a three-pointer to go up 56-50 with 6:44 to play. Once again Jermaine Head took over, hitting a three-pointer then driving and converting a layup and an and-one to tie the game.
The Griffins look to regain the momentum of the game with a steal and putting down a contested dunk to take a 60-56 lead, but a technical was assessed to the home team for crown control, leading to the Wildcats to getting one of the points back and was only down four with 4:43 to play.
Still down four, Kam Cooper converted an old-fashioned three-point play to go down one and Jordan Harding put in a layup moments later to tie the game, 64-64, with 2:29 to play. After getting a defensive stop, Danny Walsh hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc, giving the Wildcats a lead they wouldn't relinquish, 67-64, with 1:42.
The defense came away with another steal and Jermaine Head put the nail in the Griffins with another three-pointer, giving the Wildcats a 70-64 lead with 42 seconds to play. Head then hit 5-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch to close out the victory.
Head finished with 33 points on 10-of-20 shooting, adding seven assists and three rebounds. Kam Cooper came off the bench to score 14 points with six rebounds while Jordan Harding added 13 points with three three-pointers.
The Wildcats shot 53.1 percent from the floor in the second half, including 9-of-18 from three-point territory and 11-of-12 from the foul line.
The Wildcats will look for their second straight win on Saturday when they return home to host Felician at the Complex in a CACC cross-divisional contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.