Wesley Outlasts Mary Washington
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College outscored the University of Mary Washington 14-5 in overtime to claim a 92-83 win in a key match up atop the Capital Athletic Conference standings. With the win, the Wolverines remained unbeaten in conference play at 7-0, while the Eagles fell to 5-2.
Wesley committed just four turnovers in the entire game, while forcing Mary Washington into 21. The result was a 32-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
After Mary Washington (8-7) took an 80-78 lead in overtime off a pair of free throws by Kevin Storus, James Stratton (Magnolia, Del./Caesar Rodney) hit a three and a jumper in the span of 34 seconds to give the Wolverines (10-5) a three point advantage. Ben Stokes sank a free throw to cut it to 83-81, but Wesley scored nine of the game's final 11 points to put it away.
Stratton came off the bench to score 24 points, including 12 in the second half when Wesley erased an 11-point deficit in the final 11:45 to force overtime. The Eagles still led by as many as 10, 63-53, after a three by Stokes with 8:31 to play. The Wolverines then went on an 11-2 run, capped by a Rashawn Johnson (Selbyville, Del./Sussex Tech) three-point play that cut it to one point, 65-64, with 6:27 remaining.
Kiernan Whitworth scored to put the Eagles back ahead before Jermaine Carter (Richmond, Va./Thomas Jefferson) sank a three from the wing to tie the game 67-67 with 4:45 left.
The Wolverines could not get the lead down the stretch, but tied the game four more times down the stretch, including a pair of free throws by Stratton with 26 seconds to go in regulation that sent he game to overtime tied at 78-78.
In addition to Stratton's big play down the stretch, Johnson scored 17 of his game-high 26 in the second half and overtime. The senior also had four steals. Evan Martin (Wilmington, Del./Laurinburg Institute {N.C.}) also reached double figures with 15 points.
Wesley held Mary Washington's Matt Hale, the second leading scorer in the CAC, to just 14 points. Brandon Altmann had a stellar game in the loss with 19 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Stokes came off the bench to score 17 points, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. Whitworth added 16 for Mary Washington.
The win was the Wolverines' seventh in a row as Wesley remained the one unbeaten team in conference play.
The road does not get any easier for the Wolverines, who host St. Mary's (13-3, 6-1 CAC) in a conference contest at 4:00 PM on Saturday, January 24.
