WATERBURY, Conn. – Graduate forward Derrick Thomas II reached a new career high in points, scoring 27 for Post University Men's Basketball in what was the program's 500th win on Saturday night in the Drubner Center since the program started during the 1990-91 season with a 103-76 victory over Wilmington University, their program-record eighth in a row against the Wildcats. 

THE BASIC

Post University 103, Wilmington University 76

Post University (10-14, 9-7 CACC)

Wilmington University (8-17, 4-13 CACC)


HOW IT HAPPENED
In one of the highest-scoring halves of the year, it was the Eagles taking a narrow 47-46 lead into the halftime break after leading by as many as 11 points with 6:46 left in the first half of the contest. Graduate forward Derrick Thomas II had a team-high 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, going 2-for-3 from three-point land, while junior guard Ta'Quan Williams was 4-for-6 with 10 points as the two double-digit scorers for Post.

It was a lights-out shooting half for a Wildcats team that was 17-for-27 (63%) from the floor overall, hitting 6-of-10 (60%) of their threes along the way. The offense ran through both sophomore guard Jaylin Horsey and senior guard Justin Perez as they each scored 11 points apiece, combining for a 6-for-11 shooting effort. Not far behind them was sophomore forward Tre Hawkins, as was the case with junior guard Zion Lott for the Eagles, who had eight points for their respective teams.

Only four lead changes and one tie made up the entirety of the first half as Post jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead on a three-point play from freshman forward Stanley Njekwe and a layup from Thomas II. Wilmington's first lead did not come until there was 4:39 left in the half, following a 12-0 run by the Wildcats led by Hawkins and Perkins, before being capped off by a Horsey three. Trading leads inside of two minutes left, Williams' layup was responded to by a Hawkins jumper inside of a minute to go, making it just a one-point advantage heading into halftime for Post.

Scoring a season-high 56 points in the second half, the Eagles all but ran away with the affair after Wilmington took an early three-point lead, 55-52, with 15:58 left in regulation. From there, Post scored the next 16 points, going up by 13 points following a three from graduate guard Cape Holden only 3 1/2 minutes later, never looking back from that double-digit advantage. A three from Williams with 1:31 left gave the Eagles their largest lead of the contest by 28 points, 101-73, before settling for a 27-point win, after senior forward Jordan Moore's three moments later, in 103-76 fashion.

Beyond the 27-point outing from Thomas II on 9-for-15 shooting in which he hit 5-of-8 threes, Williams was right behind him with 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting and 4-for-6 from long range. Lott and junior forward Deng Akok were the only other two double-digit scorers for Post, with 14 from Lott, while Akok finished with 12 points. As a team, Post shot 53.3% from the floor, going 40-for-75, while making 13-of-33 threes (39.4%) in the victory.

On the Wilmington side, Hawins closed with the team lead in points with 19 on 9-for-13 shooting, followed by Horsey's 13 points in a game that was a tale of two halves for the Wilmington shooting core. After that 62.9% first half of shooting, the Wildcats cooled off, going 12-for-32 (37.5%) in the second half with only two threes and a total of 30 points. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Derrick Thomas II scored a career-high 27 points on 9-for-15 shooting, hitting 5-of-8 threes in the victory for Post University
• Ta'Quan Williams closed with 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting for Post University, connecting on 4-of-6 threes -- Williams has now scored 20-plus points in six games this season
• At halftime this season, Post University is 7-1 when leading at halftime, while being 3-12 when trailing and 0-1 when tied
• Post University has now won a program record eight consecutive games against Wilmington University, dating back to the 2021-22 season, five of which have come in the Drubner Center
• With the win over Wilmington University, Post University has recorded 500 career wins in the history of the program since its inception back in 1990

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University heads on the road for a midweek road matchup against Caldwell University on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM. The Eagles have won two straight games against the Cougars, including a narrow 74-72 victory at home earlier this season.