Box Score New Castle, Del. - (12/8/2015) – Leaving the decision in the hands of a few, only seven players from each side saw the court in tonight's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contest at Wilmington University. In the end, the Griffin seven proved the stronger of the two sides as Chestnut Hill College earned their second league win in an 81-69 triumph over the Wildcats. Senior guard Luke Dickson (Pitman, N.J.) and sophomore forward Edward McWade (Wildwood, N.J.) led the Scarlet and Gold pride, each providing 21 points in a lethal combination of inside-out play.
 
A tightly played first half saw neither side separate by more than five points. Chestnut Hill College (4-5, 2-1) did so for the first time at 7:38, when junior forward Gerald Evariste (Philadelphia, Pa.) hit a jumper to give the Griffins a 24-19 advantage and a second time with 50 seconds (0:50) remaining in the period on a Dickson three point basket that delivered a 38-33 lead. But the ebb and flow of the frame cycled the momentum back to the Wildcats who evened the contest at 38-38 on a layup from junior guard Tyaire Ponzo-Meek (Wilmington, Del.) and a last-possession three pointer from freshman guard Omari Dill-Pettiford (Newark, N.J.).
 
Ponzo-Meek brought the home side to a six-point lead, 52-46, less than five minutes (14:55) into the closing period. That, however, was as much success as the Wildcats would see as the Dickson-McWade combo delivered Chestnut Hill College to a 54-53 advantage at 11:49 and an eventual 10-point lead, 63-53, just four minutes later (7:38). The Wildcats desperately looked to break the Griffin defenses for one last rally, but an offensive outburst from sophomore guard Demetrius Isaac (Philadelphia, Pa.) accounted for nine straight Griffin points and kept the margin at 10 points, 72-62, with only 1:26 left on the clock. From there, Chestnut Hill College hit the necessary free throws to seal the Wildcats fate in a 12-point decision, 81-69.
 
The Wildcats had three scorers in double figures with Ponzo-Meek as the highest grossing contributor. He totaled 21 points in addition to seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and three steals. Junior guard Brian Adkins (Aberdeen, Md.) was the second fiddle with 17 points, five rebounds, an assist, and two steals, while freshman guard Omari Dill-Pettiford (Newark, N.J.) came off the bench for 16 points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
McWade produced his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds in addition to his 21 points, matching a collegiate career-high set earlier this season in the Griffins' first CACC win of the season (80-72 vs. Georgian Court University, 12/2/15). He was 8-of-14 (.571) from the field, including 2-of-5 (.400) from long range, and 3-of-3 (1.000) from the free throw line while recording four assists and a steal. Dickson hit 5-of-9 (.556) from three-point territory and six baskets in all (6-of-16, .375) in his fifth 20-point effort of the season. He also provided four rebounds and four assists in the performance. Isaac finished with 15 points, three rebounds, four assists, and a steal, while Evariste was the fourth Griffin in double figures with 14 points, nine rebounds, an assist, and two blocks. Senior captain Noel Hightower (Easton, Pa.) continued to do the dirty work, grinding out five points, eight rebounds, an assist, three blocks, and three steals in another useful effort.
 
Chestnut Hill College heads for New England for the weekend as they stop in Springfield, Massachusetts, for a 3:00 p.m. game at American International College on Saturday, December 19, before continuing to Colchester, Vermont, for a 12:30 p.m. contest at St. Michael's College on Sunday, December 20.