SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - - Skip Burton hit a three-pointer to put the Wilmington University men's basketball team up, 75-71, with 2:29 to play in overtime, but Shippensburg scored 10 of the final 12 points to come back and defeat the Wildcats, 81-77, on Wednesday night in nonconference action inside Heiges Field House.
The entire game was played inside six-points, with the Raiders (2-1) having as large as a six-point lead with 6:43 to play in the first half and the Wildcats (0-3) led by as many as six points with 17:59 to play in the second half.
Brycen Williams hit three from the foul line to give the Wildcats a 16-13 lead with 11:38 to play and then Nalik Veasley put in a layup to make it a 20-17 game with 9:45 to play. But the Raiders went on an 8-0 run to turn the game in their favor, 25-20, and then a three-pointer gave them the largest lead of the first half, 28-22, with 6:43 to play.
LJ Carter put in a layup and then Taalib Holloman put in back-to-back layups to tie the game, 33-33. Holloman then broke a tie with 20 seconds left, hitting a three-pointer to give the Wildcats a 40-37 lead going into the break.
Amiri Stewart hit a jumper and Skip Burton made a free throw to give the Wildcats the first of their two six-point leads, 46-40, with 17:59 to play. Shippensburg eventually tied it, 48-48, and the teams remained close the rest of the way.
Taalib Holloman tied it, 66-66, with a layup with 1:32 to play, but the Raiders came right back down and regained the lead with a layup, 68-66, with 1:06 left on the clock. Holloman did it again with 33 seconds left, tying the game, 68-68, with a layup. The Raiders turned the ball over with three seconds left, but Amiri Stewart's desperation three was off the back iron as the horn sounded, sending the game to overtime.
Amiri Stewart made a fallaway layup while being fouled, converting the old fashioned three-point play to put the Wildcats up, 72-71, with 3:03 left in overtime and then Skip Burton hit a three-pointer to make it a 75-71 game with 2:29 left.
But the Raiders stormed back, hitting a three-pointer with 1:09 left to tie the game, 77-77, and then hitting 4-of-6 from the foul line the rest of the way. After Burton's three-pointer with 2:29 to play, the Wildcats went 0-for-4 from the floor with a turnover.
Nalik Veasley collected a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, adding three blocks. Holloman led the Wildcats with 20 points, adding five rebounds. LC Carter came off the bench to score 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, hitting two three-pointers.
The Wildcats make their home debut with their next game, hosting West Chester at the WU Athletics Complex on Sunday afternoon. The opening tip is set for 1:00 p.m.