Newark, Del.| Five players scored in double digits but it wasn't enough as the LIU Post men's basketball team fell to the University of Wilmington, 78-67, inside WU Athletics Complex on Saturday evening.
With the loss the Pioneers slide to 0-2 on the year at the Wildcats improve to a 1-1 record to start their season.
LIU Post took an early 4-3 advantage 2:04 into the contest but Wilmington went up 13-7 two minutes later. Down 18-10, the Pioneers sparked a 7-0 run to pull within one (17-18). Wilmington eventually grabbed a 25-20 advantage at the 5:46 mark, but it was the Pioneers who fired back with a 11-2 response to take a 31-27 lead. The Wilidcats, however, closed out the half with a made three-pointer to enter the break leveled a 33-33.
Wilmington pulled ahead early in the second, claiming 16 of the half's first 22 points would never relinquished the lead after that. LIU Post kept the scoreline close in the second and came within three points (51-48) after Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor sunk a layup with 11:08 to play.
Wilmington continued to carry its momentum and warded off any advances by LIU Post eventually building a 18-point lead with 4:29 to play. In the end it was a 11-point defeat for the Pioneers who dropped the contest 78-67.
Red-shirt senior Aary Bibens scored a team-best 12 points and went 4-of-5 from the field. Oritz-Traylor tallied his second double-double, in as many games, with 10 points and a 10 rebound performance.
Senior Kyle Taylor-McLeggan scored a 11 points, while sophomores Richard Altenord and Jared Rivers contributed with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Despite the loss, the Pioneers held the advantages in rebounds (48-32), second-chance points (22-7), and bench points (20-5).
The Pioneers return home for the LIU Post Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, November 18 when the take on Merrimack College at 3 PM. Follow the action here.