LAKEWOOD, NJ (Jan. 17, 2024) - Georgian Court rode the shoulders of sophomore Imani Gillette to their second CACC win of the season. Gillette set career-bests with 27 points and 22 rebounds leading the Lions to an 88-70 victory over Wilmington. The win puts the Lions CACC record at 2-3 and they move to 2-12 overall.

How it Happened
• Georgian Court shot 48% doing most of their damage in the paint with 58 points. Wilmington shot just under 40%, but scored 20 in the lane.
• The Wildcats doubled up GCU at the three-point line where they made 10 to the Lions five. Wilmington needed 28 attempts to make 10 and GCU was 5-15. 
• Neither team shot well at the foul line. Georgian Court was 13-24 for 54% and the Wildcats were at 57%, 12-21.
• The Lions dominated on the glass, 56-31. That included 26 offensive rebounds which led to 25 second-chance points.
• Turnover numbers were nearly even. The game featured 49 in total with the Wildcats coughing it up 25 times and the Lions 24.
First Quarter
• Wilmington was on fire to start the game, getting three-pointers from Aniyah Bond and Trinity Brittingham to take an 8-0 lead 90 seconds in.
• Things settled down for the Lions after that though who used a 7-0 run to take their first lead, 11-10, with 2:51 to play in the quarter. Imani Gillette scored four and Julia Whesper knocked in a three.
• The Wildcats grabbed the lead back but Samantha Jones hit a jumper with less than 30 seconds to play to put GCU ahead by one, 16-15, after 10 minutes. 
• The Lions needed to play defense in the closing seconds as the Wildcats were 0-2 in the final 10 seconds of play.
Second Quarter
• The second quarter was all Lions as they were 10-18 from the floor and outscored the Wildcats 24-6. Wilmington was just 3-15 and 0-6 from deep in the frame.
• It started early with a Jessenia Edwards three on GCU's first possession of the quarter. That was the start of an 8-0 Lion run, bookended by threes, the first from Edwards and Whesper to finish off the scoring spurt.
• Leah Snisky made a layup with just over five minutes to play in the half giving the Lions a double-figure lead, 28-17. 
• Near the end of the half, GCU went on another prolonged scoring streak, this time scoring 10 straight and holding Wilmington scoreless for 3:44.
• With under a minute to play, the Lions were doubling up the Wildcats, 38-19.
• After Wilmington snapped the scoring drought, Niyell McCargo hit a layup in the closing seconds, giving the Lions 40 at the break, and a 19-point lead, 40-21.
Third Quarter
• Wilmington outscored the Lions by one in the second half and it came in a 22-point third quarter.
• Georgian Court took their largest lead of the game, 50-25 with 6:29 to play in the period. McCargo with a steal and Gillette the finish as the Lions were again doubling up the Wildcats.
• The Wildcats were able to bring the lead down to under 20, cutting it to 16 with a minute left to play. Another Gillette layup was the final score of the quarter and GCU was ahead 61-43 after three.
Fourth Quarter
• Wilmington shot 66% in the fourth quarter and started the frame 4-5 with a pair of three-pointers. That cut the lead down to 14, 71-57, with 5:15 to play.
• That was as close as the Lions let the game get though and they were able to build back up to a 20-point lead.
• Mia Fuller of the Wildcats made a jumper in the closing seconds but it was nowhere near enough and the Lions had their second conference victory of the season, 88-70.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Gillette led all scorers with 27 points. She was 10-23 from the floor and 7-10 at the line with 22 rebounds.
• Marta Guilera and Safiatu Kolliegbo each scored 12. Guilera was 5-6 overall. Kolliegbo added four steals.
• Julia Whesper hit a pair of three-pointers for 11 points to go along with a team-high seven assists.
• Niyell McCargo did a bit of everything with 10 points, seven rebounds, five steals and five assists.
• Leah Snisky was 3-3 for six points with seven rebounds. 

For the Wildcats
• Aniyah Bond was 7-11 overall for 20 points. She made 4-6 from downtown.
• Mia Fuller scored 19, making 5-6 at the line with eight assists and four steals.
• Trinity Brittingham added 17 points.
• Daja CLaiborne scored nine with seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

News and Notes
• This is the Lions eighth straight win over the Wildcats. GCU is now 33-28 all-time against Wilmington.
• Imani Gillette scored her 200th career point.
• Niyell McCargo and Marta Guilera each reached 100 points and Jada Jacobs hit 50.
• For the third time in five games, Gillette recorded a new career-high scoring. 
• Gillette is the first Lion to reach 20 points, 20 rebounds since Tahira Matthews in 2015 (hattip to the voice of the Lions Andrew Bern).
• It's the most points by a Lions since Anyssa Fields in Nov. 2021.

Up Next
• Georgian Court will welcome one of their own Hall of Famers back to campus Saturday for Robyn Saul Magovern Day. GCU will take on Bloomfield with a 12 p.m. tip with special ceremonies before and after the game.