Men's Basketball overcomes Southern University at New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS - Wiley University men's basketball player Demarius Pitts hit a go-ahead jumper with less than three minutes remaining as the Wildcats overcame a double-digit first-half deficit in a 65-61 victory over Southern University at New Orleans Thursday in a Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference game at the Castle.
The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Wildcats, who picked up their second road win. It's the third time they've overcome a first-half deficit. They take the season series against the Knights for the second time in three seasons.
With 3:25 left in the first half, Wiley trailed by 19 points. It only made five shots in the first 16 minutes of the game. A second-chance bucket by Jalen Bates sparked an 11-point run for the Wildcats. Three-pointers by Pitts and Tre Booker trimmed the margin to 32-24 at halftime.
Wiley trailed 48-35 with 12:49 remaining in the game. Booker hit a 3-pointer and Bates hit a jumper to trim the margin to eight. Shamir Mosley drained a triple and Bates hit a jumper to pull the Wildcats within three with 6:33 remaining. Mosley got fouled and SUNO's Jamal Gibson showed his displeasure and received a technical. After sinking a pair of free throws, Mosley hit a jumper to bring Wiley within one.
A second-chance bucket by Collins gave the Wildcats their first lead of the second half with 4:49 left. The lead changed hands a couple of times. Pitts hit a jumper with 2:45 remaining to give the Wildcats the lead for good. Collins stole the ball, which set up a jump shot by Taj Toney to increase the lead to five.
Bates led the Wildcats with 19 points, hitting seven shots. He also recorded a game-high five assists and four steals. Collins followed with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Pitts provided 10 points and four rebounds. Toney contributed six points and eight rebounds. Booker scored eight off the bench.
The Wildcats will visit Dillard University at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Bleu Devils lost to Philander Smith 87-77. Wiley will look to even the season series after falling 74-71 at home on November 16.
For more coverage on the Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/mbkb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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