VIDEO INTERVIEW - KEVIN LEWIS & ABDUL KANU
WILMINGTON, Ohio - Abdul Kanu hit a game-winning layup in the final seconds of overtime giving the Wilmington College men's basketball team a 79-77 victory over Baldwin Wallace University (BW) in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action on Saturday afternoon.
The win was the Fightin' Quakers' first over BW since defeating the Yellow Jackets 65-58 on Feb. 8, 2014.
"Today's game was played a very high level by two good teams," Head Men's Basketball Coach K.C. Hunt said. "Their guys made a ton of shots, and we played above the rim a bunch."
Both teams came into the game averaging over 77 points per game, but Wilmington held a 4-3 lead through five minutes. Neither team led by more than one possession until Kyle Nader gave BW a 23-18 lead with three minutes to play in the first half. The Quakers ended the half on a 12-3 run capped by a dunk from Abdul Kanu to put Wilmington on top 30-26 at halftime.
Despite not hitting a triple for the first time in a half since Jan. 30, 2016, the Quakers found themselves on top at the break and continued to stretch the lead. A triple from Will Patrick gave the hosts a 41-31 edge with 14 minutes to play. Baldwin Wallace, which had won six consecutive games coming into the contest, answered with a 21-7 run. A Nader layup put BW on top 52-48 with five minutes to play.
After an old-fashioned, three-point play from Jeffery Mansfield, the entire rest of regulation was played within a single possession. A DaeShawn Jackson dunk in transition tied the game 60-60 with 1:38 to go. BW hit 1-of-2 free throws and Kevin Lewis answered by making both of his attempts from the charity stripe. Mansfield then followed with a block, but Will Patrick hit 1-of-2 putting the hosts on top 63-61.
Jay Battle, who led all scorers with 31 points, sent the game to overtime with a layup. In overtime, Lewis scored the first four points including a transition dunk that gave Wilmington a 67-63 edge. The Quakers would grow their lead to six points (75-69) with a minute to play.
BW wouldn't quit, however, as consecutive triples from the Yellow Jackets along with the Quakers missing two free throws, tied the game 77-77 on a triple from Battle with nine seconds to play. After a timeout, Abdul Kanu hit the game-winning layup.
"Give BW a bunch of credit for hitting tough shots and getting in a rhythm," said Hunt. "I'm proud of our guys for staying the course and making plays when we needed to."
Both teams shot over 43 percent from the field while BW held an advantage at the three-point line, 13-2 in made triples, while Wilmington made 17 frees throws compared to 10 for the Yellow Jackets. BW won the rebounding battle 42-39 while the Quakers had 13 steals.
Individually, Lewis and Jackson both scored 19 points while Patrick (15 points) and Kanu (13 points) also finished in double figures. Lewis led Wilmington with eight rebounds while Jackson made five steals.
Battle finished 11-of-17 including 5-of-10 from distance to score 31 total points.
Wilmington (9-5, 5-3 OAC) concludes the first half of OAC play by hosting Muskingum University on Wednesday.
