Waterbury, Conn. - Behind 19 points and 12 rebounds from freshman Lexus Childs-Harris (New London, Conn.), the Post University women's basketball team held off the Wilmington Wildcats, 82-79 in a tough Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game at the Drubner Center.
With the win, the Eagles are back to .500 overall at 3-3, and still undefeated in CACC play at 3-0.
Junior Deasia Acklin also finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Senior Jacquelynne Pugh (Grahamsville, N.Y.) added 18 points.
The Eagles hit the ground running, jumping out to an 11-4 lead in the first 3:10 of the game, behind five points from Pugh during the stretch. The Eagles gradually increased their lead to as much as 16 in the half before going into the break, up 45-33.Â
Post shot a blistering 64.3 percent in the half, and Childs-Harris and Pugh were perfect from the floor combining to go 8-for-8 from the field for 22 points. Freshman Toni Deren (Greenlawn, N.Y.) came in off the bench to hit two three-pointers in the half. She finished with 12 points, a career high. Defensively, junior Kristine Ripson was a force in the paint, blocking nine shots on the day (Youngstown, N.Y.). She also had two steals and seven points.
Tenicia Spence led the Wildcats in scoring for the half with 12 points off of the bench.
Post looked poised to put the game away early in the second half, increasing its lead to 54-38 after a three-pointer by Deren with 16:09 left, but the Wildcats, led by Zameria Jones, Patricia Miranda and Spence, took over the game for the next 12 minutes, as the went on a 30-13 run and took the lead after a layup from Jones with 7:16 remaining.
Childs-Harris would give the Eagles the lead for good on the next possession after sinking two free-throws. The Eagles were able to again increase its lead to seven before holding off a furious rally from the Wildcats.
Spence finished with 25 points for the Wildcats. Jones finished with a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds (eight offensive). Miranda scored 13 for Wilmington.
Up next for the Eagles is a road out-of-conference game at Saint Michael's at 7 p.m. in Colchester, VT.
