NYACK, N.Y. - - Six made three-pointers in the first quarter allowed the Wilmington University women's basketball team to get out to a fast start in picking up its third win of the season, 85-76, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross-divisional contest at Nyack on Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats (3-15, 3-7 CACC) went 6-of-12 from beyond the arc in the opening 10 minutes of the game, scoring 30 points in route to a fast start which carried them to the road victory. The Wildcats had as large as a 21-point first half lead before Nyack (7-10, 5-5 CACC) fought back to get back into the game. The Wildcats never gave up the lead, however, leading wire-to-wire for the win.
LaShyra Williams and Jadyn Whitsitt started the game with back-to-back three pointers, and the next made bucket from the floor was another three-pointer by Jaelyn Durrett for the 11-6 lead in the early going. Whitsitt hit another three-pointer to take a 14-6 lead before the Wildcats finally made a two-point field goal, from the hand of Williams to take a 16-6 lead midway through the quarter. Kasha Andrews got in on the deep act to take a 19-11 lead, again hitting the final three-pointer of the quarter for the Wildcats with 1:23 left, taking a 28-18 lead. Kiara Eubanks made a mid-range jumper in the final seconds, as the Wildcats took a 30-20 lead into the second quarter.
The Wildcats took that momentum into the second quarter, starting the frame off on an 11-0 run. Mikala Casimir hit on three straight shot attempts for the Wildcats and then Sabreen Mnuslim converted an old-fashioned three-point play to take a 39-20 lead. Kiara Eubanks capped the run with a jumper, taking their largest lead of the game, 41-20, with 6:09 showing on the clock in the half.
The Warriors answered back however, using a 17-2 run to get as close as 43-37 with 1:54 left in the quarter. LaShyra Williams laid one in which turned out to be the final bucket of the half, sending the Wildcats into the locker room with a 45-37 lead.
Nyack closed the gap to with four points early in the third quarter, but an 8-0 Wildcat spurt reopened a 12-point lead. The Warriors scored the final five points of the third quarter, including a three-pointer as the final made bucket, getting the game back to an eight-point deficit, 62-54.
The Warriors had a 7-0 run early in the fourth to get to within 69-64, but five points was as close as the home team would be able to get as the Wildcats kept them at an arm's length the rest of the way. Emily Ansah put in a layup and Jadyn Whitsitt followed with a three-pointer, extending the lead back out to 13 with 4:01 to play. The Warriors could only get it to within nine-points the rest of the way, before settling on the final score, 85-76.
Jadyn Whitsitt led the Wildcats with 20 points and nine rebounds, adding five assists and two steals. She went 4-of-6 from three-point land on the day. LaShyra Williams also scored 20 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Sabreen Muslim came off the bench to score 11 points while Kasha Andrews made it four in double figures with 11 points while adding six rebounds.
The Wildcats remain on the road for their next contest, as they travel to Holy Family on Wednesdayt night. They tip-off at 6:00 p.m. in Philadelphia.