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NEWARK, Del. - - A pair of clutch free throws by Tre Hawkins with 2.0 seconds remaining saw the Wilmington University men's basketball team overcome a 10-point second half deficit and defeat Felician, 77-76, on Saturday afternoon in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at the WU Athletics Complex.
The freshman big man played all 40 minutes of the contest, but it all came down to the final two seconds, sinking his eighth and ninth free throws of the night to overtake the lead and ultimately win the game. Tre Hawkins also scored with 14 seconds left for the lead before Felician hit two from the line with 7.1 ticks to play, setting up the final sequence. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Wildcats.
Jaylin Horsey went on a 5-0 personal run to closed back to within 23-22 and then another 5-0 Wildcat run by Justin Perez put the home team ahead, 29-28. A pair from the line by Justin Perez tied the game, 31-31, but the Golden Falcons went on a quick 8-0 spurt to regain momentum. Felician went into the locker room with a 41-34 halftime lead.
The Wildcats closed the gap to as few as three points in the early going of the second half before the Falcons used an 8-1 run to take a 51-41 lead with 14:41 showing on the clock. Three-pointers by Justin Perez and Jaylin Horsey brought the Wildcats back into it but it was the old fashioned three-point play that turned things around for the Wildcats.
Manir Waller had the first three-point play with 9:24 to play before Perez added one with 7:40 to play to bring the Wildcats to within a point. Jaylin Horsey followed with his first, tying the game, 60-60, with 7:08 to play and then collected another three-point play for the lead, with the free throw giving the home teak a 65-62 lead with 6:23 to play. It was their first lead since 5:12 left in the first half.
The Wildcats stretched the lead out to as many as five points before Felician rallied, using a floater in the lane with 4:02 to play to take the lead again, 70-69. They held a 74-71 lead with 1:54 to play but then Manir Waller drove to the bucket and the defense stood tall with a shot clock violation, giving the Wildcats the ball back with 41 seconds left. Denim Perkins drove the lane and dished the ball off to Hawkins for an easy bucket and the 75-74 lead. But a foul put Felician on the line, sinking both to regain a 76-75 lead with 7.1 to play. Perkins again sprinted up the court, got into the lane and dished it off to Hawkins. He was fouled but hit both from the line.
Jaylin Horsey led the Wildcats with 24 points, hitting four three-pointers and 6-of-6 from the line. Tre Hawkins finished with 15 points, going 9-of-14 from the line for the game, adding seven rebounds. Manir Waller finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots while Justin Perez added 15 points and two steals.
Felician scored 60 of their 76 points in the paint, going 1-for-10 from deep and 13-of-15 from the foul line. The Wildcats turned 26 turnovers into 28 points on the offensive end.
The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Philadelphia to take on Jefferson. The men complete the CACC doubleheader with an 8:00 p.m. tip-off in the Gallagher Center.