CALDWELL, N.J.- Senior Salvatore Vitello (Bridgewater, NJ) scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Caldwell University men's basketball team to a 73-67 win against Wilmington University in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play.
 
The Cougars improve to 5-10 and 3-5 in the CACC, while the Wildcats fall to 5-10 and 1-6 in conference play.
 
The first half featured nine ties and nine lead changes as the teams battled through a competitive opening 20 minutes. The largest lead of the half came early as Wilmington jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Caldwell rallied with a 10-2 run led by Vitello's five points as the Cougars pushed ahead 12-10 at the 12:40 mark. Senior Dawan Lighty (Paterson, NJ) scored on a fast break lay-up right before the buzzer put even at the score at 30-30 at halftime.
 
Caldwell edged ahead by four points early in the second half following a pair at the line by Vitello and a lay-up by senior Billy McDonald (North Haven, CT). The Wildcats answered and they retook the lead, going ahead 45-40 at the 12:49 mark of the second half. Freshman Ahmad Harrison (Newark, NJ) drained a triple and McDonald scored in the paint to even the score at 45-45 with 11:50 remaining in the game.
 
Wilmington retook the lead as they pulled ahead by three points at the 8:19 mark. Caldwell rallied back as Vitello drained a pair from downtown to put the Cougars back in the lead at 57-53 with 6:48 to play in the game. The teams traded leads and were tied twice over the final eight minutes with the Wildcats leading 67-66 following two free throws at the 1:14 mark.
 
Harrison came up with the clutch basket as he drained a trifecta with 52 seconds left to put the Cougars in front to stay. The Wildcats missed on their next possessions and the teams traded turnovers with under 30 seconds to play. Caldwell headed to the line in the final 20 seconds as Lighty and Vitello each drained a pair at the line to seal the victory.
 
For the Cougars, Vitello drained 4-of-6 from long range as he tallied a career-high 20 points along with three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Lighty finished with 15 points and three boards, while McDonald added 10 points and seven rebounds. Harrison totaled six points, while senior Brian Kenny (Howell, NJ) chipped in nine points.
 
The game featured 13 ties and 18 leads changes in the 40 minutes of play.
 
The Cougars host Philadelphia University on Monday, January 11 in a CACC clash at 7 pm at the Newman Center.