MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - - A big run to start the second half allowed Millersville to distance itself from the Wilmington University men's basketball team, leading to an 84-69 nonconference loss on Tuesday night inside Pucillo Gymnasium.
The Wildcats (1-4) jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the early going, but Millersville (4-1) responded with a 14-0 run and led by as many as nine points in the first half. The Wildcats closed the gap to as few as two points late before facing a six-point deficit, 39-33, at the halftime break. Millersville scored 18 of the first 22 points in the second half, leading by 20 points with 15:12 to play in regulation.
Leading 9-7 early in the first half, Justin Perez sparked an 8-0 with a jumper in the paint. Manir Waller hit two from the free throw line and then Izaiah Credle put in a layup on the fast break. Perez ended the run with another layup and the Wildcats led 17-7 with 15:01 to play in the first half. The Marauders answered right back however, going on a 14-0 run to take a 21-17 lead with 11:03 to play. They would never relinquish the lead again.
Waller hit an old fashioned three-point play and Jaylin Horsey put in a layup and the Wildcats had the deficit down to 35-33 with 3:38 left in the half. The Marauders took a 39-33 lead into the break.
Tre Hawkins put in the first bucket of the second half but then the Marauders scored seven straight to open a 46-35 lead. The run continued with an 11-0 run, extending the lead out to 57-37 with 15:12 to play in regulation. Hawkins sparked a 9-0 run for the Wildcats with back-to-back buckets, and then an old-fashioned three-point play brought the Wildcats back to within 57-46 with 12:35 showing on the clock. Buckets by Perez and Waller brought the Wildcats to within 68-60 with 7:11 to play and then a Denim Perkins three-pointer saw the Wildcats climb to within 73-67 with 3:56 left. But that would be as close as the Wildcats could get, as Millersville hit a three-pointer to spark an 11-0 run to put the game away.
Tre Hawkins led the Wildcats with 17 points while adding four rebounds and two steals. Manir Waller scored 13 points to go with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Skip Burton scored 11 points to go with four rebounds and three assists. Hamahrie Bowers scored nine points to go with seven rebounds off the bench while Denim Perkins scored seven points with five steals.
The Wildcats return to action next Monday, continuing their tour through the PSAC. They head to Lock Haven on the 25th with a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.