A big run at the end of the second half allowed Virginia State to win big, 81-57, against the Wilmington University women's basketball team to cap the Chick-Fil-A Classic hosted by Virginia State on Saturday at Daniel Gymnasium.
Senior Cari Callaway led the Wildcats (1-6) with 19 points off the bench on Saturday, shooting 7-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-6 from the foul line. Virginia State (5-1) broke a 49-49 tie with 9:37 left in regulation and never looked back.
The Trojans extended their five-point halftime lead to 39-30 with back-to-back buckets to start the second half before the Wildcats started their comeback.
Jocelyn Rodriguez hit a jumper to start a 7-0 run, capped by a Tenicia Spence three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within a pair, 39-37, with 15:41 remaining. Jasmine Lee tied the ballgame moments late with a layup with 13:18 to play before the teams went back and forth.
Ebonee Dixon tied the game at 43-43 with a layup before Lee retied the game at 45-45 with another layup with 11:29 showing on the scoreboard. Dixon gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game with yet another layup with 11:06 to play, but the Trojans came right back and tied the game with a jumper.
Jennifer Carr helped the Wildcats retake the lead, 49-47, with a jumper but Virginia State again retaliated with a bucket of its own to tie the game for the fifth time with 10:16 remaining in regulation. The Carr bucket would be the last lead of the game for the Wildcats.
The Trojans took the lead for good with a layup from Tiffanie Adair with 9:37 left. Leading 55-53, the Trojans went on a 10-0 run which continued as a 19-2, and eventually a 26-4 run to end the contest and take the victory.
Dixon and Spence were the only other Wildcats in double digits, finishing with 12 and 10 points respectively. Spence also finished with seven rebounds while Dixon added five. Carr led the Wildcats with 10 rebounds in the game. The Wildcats shot 36.4 percent from the floor but only went 3-of-13 from beyond the three-point arc. The Wildcats went 14-of-18 from the foul line, however.
The Trojans' offense was led by Adair's 20 points and 11 rebounds while Kasuela Cooper also collected a double-double with 16 points and a game high 14 rebounds off the bench. The Trojans shot 42.5 percent from the field for the game, including a 51.3 percent performance in the second half, hitting eight three-pointers in the game.
The Wildcats return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action and to the WU Athletics Complex for their next contest, as they host CACC South Division foe Chestnut Hill on Wednesday. The women will be the nightcap of the CACC doubleheader as the men will open the night up at 6 p.m. The women will tip off at 8 p.m.