(CHESTER, Pa.) – It may have been a cold day in Philadelphia, but Wilson kept things hot on the hardwood with a victory at Widener Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix shot 57.1% from the field and received 20-plus point efforts from
Jalen Bowie (Sr., Frederick, Md. / Frederick / Shippensburg) and
Armani Jones (Sr., Chicago, Ill. / Christ The King Prep / Bryant & Stratton) to help get back in the win column.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 99, Widener 94
Venue: Schwartz Center
Records: Wilson 2-5, 0-0 United East; Widener 1-4, 0-0 MAC Commonwealth
How It Happened
- The Phoenix set the tone from the start by going 10-of-12 to open the game while building a double-digit lead. The teams were even at 6-6 before a Winston Raford (Jr., Woodbridge, Va. / Forest Park) 3-pointer to spark a 16-4 run. Raford came up big defensively near the end of the run with a steal, and while the ensuing shot attempt was one of the two aforementioned misses, Bowie was right there to get the tip-in to make it 20-10. Raford remained strong and gave Wilson some momentum at the end of the first half as he drained a 3-pointer for a 51-40 lead at the break.
- The second half saw Wilson start off strong as well as Jaylin Davis (Sr., Hampton, Va. / Kecoughtan / Lynchburg) joined the other Jalens in the Phoenix making their first three attempts. Midway through the half, Pierce assisted a Bowie layup and Jones fed Raford on a fastbreak layup to put up 70-50. Wilson led by 22 as late as 79-57 after a pair of Richard Chase (FY, Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) free throws, but the Phoenix still had to battle as the Pride made a furious comeback attempt. The next seven points went the way of Widener who slowly chipped away at the deficit. Despite the momentum shift, the Phoenix defense didn't break and remained in front the rest of the way.
Inside The Numbers
- Bowie led the Wilson offense with 28 points after he went 11-for-17 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers.
- Jones was right behind him with 25 points while going 10-for-15 from the field. He added his second double-double of the season with a game-high dozen rebounds, 11 of which were on the defensive end.
- Pierce finished the day with 16 points and Raford added 15 to round out the double-figure scorers for Wilson. Both were 6-for-9 from the field.
- The .571 field goal percentage is the best by the Phoenix since they shot a program record .750 against Rosemont on February 1.
Up Next
Wilson will now prepare for conference play as it takes on Penn State Harrisburg on Wednesday in the United East opener.
