RUTHERFORD, N.J. - - The Wilmington University women's basketball team found itself in an all too familiar situation in the fourth quarter, but this time completed the late game comeback at Felician, forcing an overtime period before racing past the Golden Falcons, 90-79, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action in Job Gym.
The Wildcats (5-16, 5-8 CACC) have put on a number of fourth quarter comebacks this season, but they were able to complete the execution on Saturday at North Division leading Felician (8-12, 8-5 CACC). Down 12 early in the fourth, the Wildcats fought all the way back and tied the match with 17 seconds left before powering past the Golden Falcons, 13-2, in the extra session.
A slow start saw the Wildcats down 19-8 after the first quarter, but the Wildcats battled back in the second quarter to knot the game at 32-32 halfway through the contest. Kiara Eubanks first tied the game, 23-23, as the Wildcats eventually took a 32-30 lead. But Felician scored the final bucket of the half, sending the game into the break all tied at 32.
The Wildcats scored the first five points of the third quarter and led by five points as late as 7:25, but Felician caught fire and ended the frame with an 11-point lead, 60-49.
A Golden Falcon three-pointer gave the home team a 63-51 lead with 9:38 left in regulation, and the Wildcats were still down 12 as Nyree Grant went to the foul line with 9:02 to play. Grant hit both from the line to spark a 6-0 run, before another 7-0 run capped by a Macy Robinson three-pointer brought the Wildcats to within 66-64 with 5:54 showing on the clock.
An old-fashioned three-point play had the Falcons up 74-69 with 1:47 to play before Robinson hit another triple to get to within a single point, 75-74, with 1:10 left. Felician put in a layup to go up three and came away with a steal with 35 seconds left. But Kiara Eubanks answered with a steal of her own, and the Wildcats went on the attack.
Eubanks missed the first chance but an offensive rebound gave Grant a look from distance before a second offensive rebound ended with a three-pointer from Macy Robinson three steps beyond the arc. She tied the game at 77 with 17 seconds on the scoreboard.
The Golden Falcons cleared the lane, but Bionca Chambers couldn't hit the fade-a-way at the buzzer as the game went to overtime.
Wilmington scored first in the extra session before Felician tied the game at 79-79. Nyree Grant and Kiara Eubanks scored back-to-back buckets for the Wildcats and the visitors never looked back. Jadyn Whitsitt hit two from the line before Macy Robinson iced the game with a fast break layup, 87-79, with less than a minute to play. The Wildcats scored the final 11 points of the game for the win.
Robinson scored 21 of her 27 points after halftime, hitting 5-of-10 from beyond the three-point arc and 9-of-17 overall. She added eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Nyree Grant secured a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds while Kiara Eubanks came off the bench to score 15 points to go with four rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Jadyn Whitsitt finished with 13 points to go with five rebounds and four assists.
The Wildcats will look to make it two in a row and a season sweep of Georgian Court in their next contest. The Lions come to Newark on Wednesday night for a CACC South Division contest at the WU Athletics Complex. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.