CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team dropped a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game to Wilmington University, 83-78 Saturday afternoon in the George R. Newman Center. The loss was the second defeat by five points or less for the Cougars, who are 8-6 overall and 3-4 in the conference. The Wildcats improve to 5-8, 1-4 CACC.

Caldwell led by as many as 14 points in the first half before Wilmington fought back to pull to within four points, 34-30 with 4:26 left in the half. Three points from senior guard Nikola Otovic (Kraljevo, Serbia) and a lay-up from freshman forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) allowed the Cougars to take a 39-30 lead at the half. Otovic and junior forward Arthur Morrison (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) led the way for Caldwell with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

The lead grew to as many as 15 points, as a three-pointer by senior guard Anthony Gill (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) made the score 53-38 Caldwell with 16:38 remaining. The Cougars absorbed a 14-2 Wildcat run over the next four minutes, eventually building the lead back up to 10, 71-61 with 7:41 to play. But seven points by Brandon Fox ignited an 11-0 spree that tipped the scales in favor of Wilmington, 72-71 with less than four minutes to play.

The lead changed hands three times before a basket by Fox and a conventional three-point play from Jarvis Perry put the Wildcats ahead at the one-minute mark, 79-76. The Cougars were able to come within one point with seven seconds left, but Wilmington hit four free throws down the stretch to wrap up its first CACC win of the season.

Caldwell shot 60.7 percent from the field in the second half and 52.7 percent for the game. But the Wildcats made 17-of-26 (65.4 percent) from the floor in the second period and held a 31-27 edge on the glass, including a 14-7 rebounding advantage after halftime. Morrison tallied 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Otovic also scored 21 points to go with five assists and two steals. Balkovic grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Fox led all players with 29 points, with Corye Payton adding 22 points, five assists and seven boards for Wilmington.

The Cougars take on Felician College in their third CACC home game in five days. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.