PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Taalib Holloman scored a career high 30 points in leading the Wilmington University men's basketball to a 92-74 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory at Holy Family on Wednesday night inside the Campus Center.
The Wildcats remain unbeaten in CACC play, raising their record to 8-5 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Taalib Holloman's 30-point performance was a new career high and the first 30-point game for the Wildcats since Jermaine Head scored 31 points against Concordia on February 15, 2020.
Wednesday was the fourth game this season the Wildcats have shot over 50 percent from the field, shooting a season's best 59.3 percent (35-for-59) while tying their mark from three-point land for the season by shooting 10-for-21 (47.6 percent).
The Wildcats got out to another fast start, using a 12-0 run to take a 17-4 lead with 13:53 to play in the first half. Taalib Holloman scored 10 of the Wildcats' 12 points in the run as the team shot 5-for-7 (2-of-2 form deep). Holloman ended up having 15 of the team's first 20 points before being subbed out with 12:09 showing on the clock. The Tigers closed the gap to 36-28, but the Wildcats scored the final 11 points of the half to take a 47-28 lead into the locker room.
Holy Family came out of the break by going on a 23-15 run to close the gap to as few as 11 points, 62-51, with 11:22 to play in the game. But the Wildcats settled into the half and regained the momentum of the game. Taalib Holloman converted a three-point play and then LJ Carter had three straight buckets for the Wildcats as they led 73-54 with 8:43 to play. Holloman's final points came on another three-pointer to make it 80-58 with 6:25 showing on the clock.
The Wildcats led by as many as 24 points, 89-65, before settling on the final score of 92-74.
Holloman's 30 points came on 11-of-15 shooting, hooting 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Amiri Stewart collected 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, adding eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Caleb Matthews had 11 points while hitting three three-pointers, adding eight assists, and five rebounds. Asher Kemble came off the bench to lead the team with eight rebounds.
The Wildcats are 6-1 in their last seven games and return home on Saturday for the first time since December 9. They host Caldwell in a CACC cross-divisional matchup with the opening tip scheduled for 3:00 p.m.