LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (January 19, 2009) – Freshman Denzel Mooney (Baltimore, MD, Western School of Technology) made his first career start one to remember. Mooney, the sweet-shooting sniper, set the tone for Lincoln's 87-45 victory over Wilmington (Del.) University by draining a 3-pointer from the right corner 17 seconds into the game. (BOXSCORE)
By the time Mooney and the rest of the Lions finished their 3-point assault, Lincoln had its second straight home victory.
Following Mooney, Bryant Leach (Philadelphia, PA, John Bartram) sank a 3-pointer. Then Ladaye Johnson (Wilmington, DE, Hodgson Vo-Tech) knocked one down. Finally, before fans could get comfortable, Mooney swished a pair as Lincoln scored the first 15 points of the game while making all five 3-point attempts. Mooney scored 12 of his career-high 13 points during an electric eight minute stint in the first half. For the season, 17 of Mooney's 21 baskets have been 3-pointers.
“We came out with a lot of intensity to begin the game,” Mooney said. “Everybody played with a fire tonight. I was surprised to be in the starting line-up, but I had to step up and prove that I deserved to be a starter.”
The Lions placed three players in double figures highlighted by 20 points from Johnson, who made his first start this season. Johnson made 8-of-10 shots from the field and 4-for-6 from 3-point distance. Leach finished with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Six players made at least 50 percent of their attempts from the field against Wilmington.
As a team, Lincoln shot 13-for-26 from 3-point distance. It was the sixth time this season, Lincoln made at least 10 3-pointers in a game. Lincoln blocked 13 shots highlighted by Jabyron Wilson's five rejections and 12 rebounds.
With the victory Lincoln (4-11 overall) tied its victory total from the 2007-08 season and improved to 4-0 all-time on Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. In addition, Lincoln improved to 4-2 overall at home this season. Wilmington, playing without several suspended players, fell to 5-12.
Lincoln was 8-for-11 in the opening 20 minutes from 3-point distance as it opened a 45-20 halftime lead. The Lions made 17-of-31 shots in the opening 20 minutes while Wilmington connected on 8-of-42. The Wildcats missed their first 13 shots of the second half.
Lincoln continued its scoring barrage as Johnson scored seven points during the Lions' 17-0 burst to begin the second half that swelled their advantage to 62-25 with 14:05 remaining. Defensively, Lincoln held Wilmington to 20.0 percent shooting (16-for-80) and forced 22 turnovers. The Wildcats were 0-for-8 from 3-point distance.
Overall for Lincoln, six different players made at least one 3-pointer and 11 players scored. The Lions outrebounded Wilmington, 58-52. The Lions improved to 2-1 against schools from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).
Lincoln improved to 11-0 under fifth-year coach Garfield Yuille, when it holds a team under 60 points. In its last two home games against Virginia State and Wilmington -- both victories -- Lincoln has yielded an average of 49 points per game. The 87 points scored were a season-high for Lincoln.
Highlighting the victory was Lincoln's Dominique Williams (Rochester, NY, Bishop Kearney), who made his first two career 3-point attempts and finished with six points.
Lincoln returns to action Wednesday evening when it hosts University of the Sciences beginning at 7. That game will be broadcast live on mainstreetlivepa.com Wilmington's next game is at Chestnut Hill College Thursday evening beginning at 7.
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