NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women's basketball team hung with Jefferson through two and a half quarter in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest on Thursday night before the Rams pulled out the 66-51 victory inside the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats (1-19, 0-12 CACC) tied the game, 31-31, with 6:50 to play in the third quarter, and had it to within 35-33 moments later with 4:23 showing on the clock. But the Rams (14-6, 8-4 CACC) used a 15-7 run the rest of the third quarter to take a 10-point lead into the fourth.
The Rams' largest lead of the first quarter was 13-8, but a layup from TyKeisha Hill and a free throw from Armani Bell-Jackson cut the deficit to 13-11. Jefferson took a 15-11 lead into the second quarter.
Reynah Rattliff started the quarter with a bucket and then Sparkle Leigh tied the game, 17-17, with a pull up jumper with 6:51 to play before the half. The Rams regained a five-point lead, 23-18, but again the Wildcats were there to fight back. Tianna Neal cut the deficit to 23-22 and Reynah Rattliff again made it a one-point game, 25=24, with a jumper. The Rams had the final two buckets of the half though, grabbing a 29-24 into the halftime break.
The Wildcats came out of the break with an Emma Brown layup and a Mya Nisbet three-pointer to tie the game, 29-29, and then Reynah Rattliff tied it for the sixth time, 31-31, with a second chance jumper, with 6:50 to play. TyKeisha Hill made a pair from the foul line to make it a 35-33 game, but then the Rams went on a 7-2 run to open a 42-35 lead. They started to hit the three-pointers as well, taking a 48-40 lead and then an offensive putback to end the quarter, 50-40.
Reynah Rattliff hit two free throws to start the fourth but then the Rams used a 7-0 run to open a 62-46 lead with 3:26 showing on the clock. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 13 points twice, but that's as close as they would get the rest of the way.
Reynah Rattliff and Emma Brown led the Wildcats with 11 points each while Rattliff added nine rebounds and four assists. Brown added eight rebounds and three blocked shots. TyKeisha Hill scored 10 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists. Mya Nisbet hit three three-pointers for nine points.
The Wildcats are on the road for their next two games, starting Saturday with a road game at Felician. The women's game is set for a 1:00 p.m. tip in Rutherford, New Jersey.