Press Release Written by Nathan Foltz
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - The Wilmington University men's basketball team added yet another nail-biter to their season on Wednesday night, this time falling to the Thomas Jefferson University Rams, 76-73, at the last second inside the Gallagher Center in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 3-4 and 0-2 in CACC play, with Wednesday's defeat being their fourth in a row after starting the season 3-0.
Jefferson went up 6-0 to start off the game, but the Wildcats didn't let them get any further than that and tied it at 8-8 a few minutes later. The teams traded blows the entire game, though Wilmington built their largest lead of the night a little over halfway through the first on an 11-1 run that was started by a lead-taking Jaiden Guy three and capped by a fading Denim Perkins jumper. The Rams turned the tables to close the half, though, with a 17-6 run over the subsequent seven minutes of play that put them back on top 38-36. Jaylin Horsey made a pair of free throws to tie it, but Jefferson hit a three-pointer with two seconds on the clock to go into halftime up 41-38.
Jefferson kept its momentum going to start the second half, as they came out and built a seven-point lead for their largest advantage of the game. But in a game with multiple big runs, the Wildcats got the hot hand next, scoring ten unanswered in the next three and a half minutes to take a 56-53 lead with ten to play. Wilmington managed to create a seven-point lead, punctuated by a Horsey and-1 to make it 66-59, but there was still over six minutes left, and the Rams had shown they wouldn't go down quietly. Jefferson only needed two and a half minutes to rack up a 9-0 run and take a two-point lead, but Tre Hawkins drained one from distance to give the Wildcats the lead right back. Akeem Taylor laid one in to make it a three-point game with 2:30 on the clock, but the Wildcats couldn't get much going and gave the lead back on four straight free throws by the Rams. Now down 72-71, Horsey took the ball behind the three-point line and drove up around the outside of the key before getting fouled while putting up a shot that went in. He couldn't convert the free throw, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway, as Jefferson came back down the court and ran the clock down to two seconds before sinking a three while also drawing a foul, which sealed the Wildcats' fate.
Jaylin Horsey led the Wildcat scoring with 17 points, a total he's matched four times now, but is his first game without a made three-pointer. He also had a team-high four assists. Justin Perez had 13 points while going 3-4 beyond the arc, adding a pair of rebounds. Jaiden Guy and Zavion Bianchini both had double-digit points off the bench, with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Akeem Taylor had eight rebounds to lead the team, while Bianchini was behind him with six. Team-leading scorer Tre Hawkins was held in check all night, as Jefferson limited him to only seven points and four rebounds. Denim Perkins was also quiet, but still dished out three assists.
Next up for Wilmington is a home game on Saturday, where they'll look to break their losing streak and pick up their first conference win of the season against Felician. Opening tip is slated for approximately 3:00 p.m. following the women's contest.