PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The 12th ranked Jefferson basketball team scored the first 18 points of the game in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinals and the Wilmington University men's basketball team never recovered, falling 100-61 at Bobby Morgan Arena on the campus of USciences.
Saturday was the team's second ever appearance in the CACC Semifinals, making the CACC Tournament in five out of the past six years. The 2014-15 squad made it to the CACC Tournament Championship in the only other semifinal appearance in the program's NCAA era.
On Saturday, the Rams made their first six shots, holding a 15-0 lead before they missed a jumper. The Wildcats didn't score until Taalib Holloman put in a layup with 13:43 showing on the clock.
The half didn't get any better for the Wildcats, as the Rams took a 30-4 lead with 10:04 to play. The Rams rode the right hand of Josh Bradanese in the first half as the senior shot 11-of-13 form the field, including 6-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc, scoring 28 points to go with four rebounds and three assists in the first half alone.
Jefferson led 55-22 at the half, shooting 60.6 percent as a team from the floor, hitting 9-of-13 from three-point territory. On the other end, the Wildcats only shot 26.5 percent from the floor, shooting 4-of-13 from deep in the half.
The second half didn't go any better for the Wildcats, as the Rams continued to shoot the ball well, going 18-of-29 in the half for a 62.1 percentage. The Rams' lead grew to as large as 45 in the second half and the Wildcats could never get it closer than 31 points.
Bradanese finished with a career high 38 points as three Rams scored 20 or more in the game.
The Wildcats were led by First Team All-CACC performer Jermaine Head as he finished his illustrious career with 20 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Danny Walsh scored 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, hitting four three-pointers. Taalib Holloman scored 10 points as well for the Wildcats. Jordan Harding led the Wildcats with 11 rebounds.
Head, the lone senior on the Wildcats' squad, finishes his career as the program's all-time leader with 1,871 points, 450 assists, and 206 steals. He averaged 21.5 points per game in his career, also a program best in the NCAA era.
