Video recap at bottom of press release.
NEWARK, Del. - - Trailing by 10-points midway through the fourth quarter, a furious late game comeback set the stage for a dramatic victory for the Wilmington University women's basketball team, as they took down Georgian Court, 86-83, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division action on Saturday at the WU Athletics Complex.
After a slow start, the Wildcats (5-9, 2-4 CACC) scored 60 points in the second half, erasing a 12-point first quarter and halftime deficit. Tied after three quarters, the Lions (2-11, 0-6 CACC) gained a 10-point lead with 5:25 left in regulation before succumbing to the Wildcats' comeback.
The Wildcats erased a 38-26 halftime deficit with a 30-18 third quarter fury to tie the game at 56. Mikala Casimir scored the first bucket of the fourth to give the Wildcats a brief lead, but the Lions answered with a 19-7 spurt to take a 75-65 lead with 5:25 left in the game.
Still down by nine with 3:55 to play, Macy Robinson started the comeback with a three-pointer before Nyree Grant converted a layup on the team's next possession. Now down six with 2:29 left, Robinson hit another three-pointer to cut the deficit in half before Grant got the game to within a single point with a steal and layup.
Another Grant layup on a second chance possession brought the Wildcats to within 83-82, setting up the final sequence of the game.
With the ball under their offensive basket, the Lions tried to inbounds in the ball to the top of the key. Robinson read the lob pass and tipped it forward turning quickly from defense into offense. Robinson raced ahead and laid the ball in while getting hit hard in the head on the fast break with 24 seconds left. The made bucket put the Wildcats up a point, and the flagrant-two foul gave the Wildcats two more points from the foul line for the 86-83 lead.
The Lions never got a game-tying three-point attempt off before time ran out.
The comeback was needed after the Lions shot 8-of-20 from the floor in the first quarter, including three three-pointers. They led 21-9 after the first 10 minutes of action. They then shot 7-of-14 with two more three-pointers in the second quarter, taking a 38-26 lead into the break.
Out of the break, the Wildcat came out and hit three three-pointers of their own, shooting 10-of-19 from the floor to erase the entire deficit and go into the fourth quarter tied. The Wildcats assisted on nine of the 10 made field goals, getting five steals for a few easy buckets.
Robinson scored 26 of her game high 29 points in the second half, pouring in 13 in each the third and quarters. She hit six three-pointers and went 11-of-26 from the floor. She added a team high 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, as well as five assists, five steals, and two blocked shots.
All five starters scored in double digits, led by Robinson's 29. Grant poured in 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Mikala Casimir set a new career high with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Casimire also dished out five assists and grabbed five boards. Emma Matthews and Jadyn Whitsitt scored 11 points each with Matthews grabbing nine rebounds in the win.
The Wildcats will go for their second win in a row when they head to Caldwell on Wednesday for a cross divisional contest. The women start the CACC doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. in Caldwell, New Jersey.
