NEWARK, Del. - - A big run spanning the halftime break led the College of Staten Island to a 99-75 victory over the Wilmington University men's basketball team in the first game of the 2025 calendar year on Saturday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Dolphins (6-9) scored the final five points of the first half and then came out and scored the first 13 points of the second half to open a 23-point lead and take control of the nonconference contest. The Dolphins finished the game 17-of-33 from three-point territory, shooting at a 54.4 percent clip from the floor for the game.
Tre Hawkins gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game with a layup and a foul, converting the three-point play for an 8-7 lead. Hamahrie Bowers hit a three-pointer for a 14-9 lead and then the Wildcats took their largest lead of the game, 17-10 with a Demin Perkins three-pointer with 14:37 left in the first half. The Dolphins went on an 8-0 run to grab a 21-17 lead before Jaylin Horsey and Dorien Johnson hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Wildcats a 23-21 advantage. Another 7-0 Dolphins run gave the visitors a 28-23 lead and then took a 36-29 lead with 6:03 to play. Manir Waller and Hawkins hit buckets for the Wildcats to close the gap to 36-34, and Izaiah Credle hit two from the line to make it a 41-36 deficit with 1:11 to play. But the Dolphins answered with a three-pointer and two free throws to finish the half, taking a 46-36 lead into the break.
The Dolphins hit three three-pointers to start the second half and then added a layup and two free throws to complete the 18-0 run and take a 59-36 lead with 16:37 showing on the clock. The lead grew to as large as 32 for the Dolphins with another three-pointer with 13:14 to play.
Jaylin Horsey hit a pair of three-pointers in an 8-0 run for the Wildcats and then Jalen Simpson hit a three-pointer and Manir Waller hit a pair from the line to get the deficit to under 20 points with 5:34 to play. The Wildcats closed to within as few as 17 points with 5:11 to play and again with 2:40 to play, but that would be as close as the Wildcats would get in the final moments.
Jaylin Horsey scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc for the game. Tre Hawkins, Hamahrie Bowers, and Dorien Johnson all contributed eight points with Manir Waller grabbing a game-high eight rebounds. Denim Perkins dished out a game-high eight assists as well.
The Wildcats shot 37.9 percent from the field for the game, hitting on 11-of-28 from deep (39.3 percent).
The Wildcats have a week off before their next contest when they get back into Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with a road contest at Bridgeport. The Wildcats tip-off at the Purple Knights at 3:00 p.m.
