NEWARK, Del. - - A late second-half run allowed Caldwell to pull away late to defeat the Wilmington University women's basketball team, 90-66, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game at the WU Athletics Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Armani Bell-Jackson hit a three-pointer with 2:36 to play in the third quarter, bringing the Wildcats to within three points, 53-50. But the Cougars answered with an 11-point run to end the quarter and added six more to start the fourth quarter, ending in a 17-0 run to take command late in the game.
The first quarter was back and forth, with Emma Brown giving the Wildcats a 10-6 lead with 4:48 to play in the quarter. The Cougars took a 15-12 lead but then Reynah Rattliff converted an old-fashioned three-point play to end the quarter, tying the game, 15-15.
TyKeisha Hill scored the first bucket of the second quarter to give the Wildcats the lead, and then a bucket from Emma Brown and two from the foul line from Reynah Rattliff put the Wildcats up, 25-21, with 6:37 to play in the first half. The Cougars answered with a. 9-0 run to take a 30-25 lead but the Wildcats kept it close with buckets from Sparkle Leigh and Emma Brown. A Cougar three-pointer made it 37-31 late in the quarter, but Reynah Rattliff again ended a frame with a bucket, sending the Wildcats into the break down 37-33.
The Wildcats kept it close to start the third quarter, as the teams traded buckets to keep it within a five-point game. Caldwell took as large as a 47-41 lead, but Armani Bell-Jackson hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit in half. Bell-Jackson then scored four straight points for the Wildcats, bringing the home team to within 49-48 with 3:51 to play. Caldwell scored four from the line before Armani Bell-Jackson hit another bucket to make it 53-50 with 2:36 left. Caldwell's Lucy Coogan then scored seven straight to spark the Cougars the rest of the way. The run continued until the Cougars held a 64-50 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Caldwell scored the first six points of the fourth quarter as well, making it a 17-0 lead to open a 70-50 lead. Caldwell went on to win the fourth quarter, 26-16, to take the game, 90-66.
Emma Brown fell just short of her third straight double-double, but finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, adding three assists and three blocked shots as well. Armani Bell-Jackson scored 17 points while Reynah Rattliff added 11 points with seven assists and four rebounds. TyKeisha Hill scored eight points while grabbing seven rebounds as well.
The Wildcats are on the road twice next week, first taking a trip to Chestnut Hill on Wednesday night. The opening tip is set for 6:00 p.m. inside Sorgenti Arena in Philadelphia.
