NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women's basketball team produced a valiant effort against Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference leading Holy Family, but the Tigers proved to be too much in a 73-58 loss on Tuesday night inside the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats (1-25, 0-18 CACC) brought the game to within eight points in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers (22-3, 17-0 CACC) held off the upset-minded Wildcats down the stretch.
Mya Nisbet hit a three-pointer halfway through the first quarter to bring the Wildcats to within 10-9 before the Tigers stretched the lead out to as large as seven points. Reynah Rattliff made back-to-back buckets to cut it to three points and then hit two more from the foul line to make it a 20-16 deficit after the first quarter.
Emma Brown put in a fastbreak layup from Reynah Rattliff to tie the game, 20-20, and then Sparkle Leigh put in a pull-up jumper on the fast break, giving the Wildcats a 25-24 lead with 7:22 to play in the second. But the shots stopped falling from there for the Wildcats, as the Tigers went on a 16-0 run, opening a 40-25 lead with 2:13 left in the half. Rattliff hit a pull-up jumper to cut it to an 11-point game, but the Tigers made two from the line at the buzzer, giving them a 42-29 lead at the half.
The Tigers' lead stretched to as many as 22 in the third quarter before a Wildcats' 8-0 run brought them back to within 56-42 with 1:27 to play in the third. The Tigers won the third quarter, 18-13, to take a 60-42 lead into the final frame.
Trailing by 18 points, a Trinity Fortune-Medine corner three-pointer sparked the Wildcats, as back-to-back fast break buckets saw them cut the deficit to 66-56 with 2:41 to play. The Wildcats got another stop, and Emma Brown was fouled, hitting both from the foul line to make it an eight-point game, 66-58, with 1:57 left. But the Tigers got a floater with the shot clock winding down to fall, settling things down for the visitors. They made the final seven points of the game to take the final, 73-58.
Emma Brown collected her eighth triple-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, adding three steals. Armani Bell-Jackson had 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. Reynah Rattliff stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, nine assists, and six steals, while TyKeisha Hill added six points and three rebounds.
The Wildcats have a conference bye this weekend and return to action next Wednesday night at the WU Athletics Complex. They welcome Georgian Court to Newark, looking at a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
