QUEENS, N.Y. - - Searching for its fourth straight win, the Wilmington University men's basketball started strong but needed to hang on down the stretch, and then dominated the overtime period in a 92-83 win over Queens (N.Y.) on Wednesday night in Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
The Wildcats (6-4) jumped out to as large as a 10-point lead in the first half, shooting 57.1 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, and took a nine-point lead into the break. The Knights (6-5), who were receiving votes in this week's D2CSC MBB East Region Poll, mirrored the Wildcats in the second and won the second half, 45-36, tying the game with 1.9 seconds left to force overtime. The Wildcats scored the first 10 points of the overtime period to win the road game.
Asher Kemble sparked a 9-0 run early in the first half, hitting a three-pointer. Amiri Stewart finished off the run with driving layup, giving the Wildcats a 16-6 lead with 14:00 minutes left. The Knights had the deficit down to five, 37-32, with 4:10 showing on the clock, but the Wildcats finished off the half on an 8-4 run to take a 45-36 lead into the break.
Nalik Veasley started the second half with a dunk and then Taalib Holloman hit a three-pointer and Amiri Stewart following with a turnaround jumper and the Wildcats had their largest lead of the game, 55-41, with 17:21 to play in the game. The Knights cut the deficit all the way to four points, 61-57, with 10:25 to play but then the Wildcats used another 7-0 run to get it back to double digits, capped by an LJ Carter old-fashioned three-point play, 68-57, with 7:48 showing on the clock.
A 7-0 run saw the Knights come all the way back to within 70-69, before the Wildcats pushed it back out to a 75-69 lead with 3:54 to play. The Knights kept it close the rest of the way, and then used a putback dunk with 45 seconds left, a stop, and a layup with 1.9 seconds left to tie the game, 81-81.
But the overtime period was all Wilmington, as Skip Burton hit a free throw, Amiri Stewart had a putback layup, Burton a driving layup, two more from Stewart at the line, a Nalik Veasley putback and another free throw form Burton, and the Wildcats held a 10-point lead, 91-81.
The Wildcats held the Knights to 1-for-9 shooting in the overtime period while going 3-for-6 from the floor and 5-for-10 form the line themselves.
Amiri Stewart led the Wildcats with 25 points, going 7-of-8 from the floor in the first half and 11-of-15 overall. He also led the Wildcats with five assists and three steals, adding eight rebounds as well. Skip Burton ended with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, while LC Carter scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting off the bench. Taalib Holloman and Caleb Matthews finished with 11 points while Ash Kemble scored 10 points. Veasley finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats have one more contest before the holiday break, traveling to Saint Michael's on Tuesday. The Purple Knights are ranked No. 3 in this week's D2CSC East Region Poll and receiving votes nationally. The game in Vermont is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.