ALLIANCE — Former Wilmington College standout Jeffery Mansfield led No. 5 Mount Union to a 96-69 Ohio Athletic Conference victory Saturday over WC at the McPherson Academic & Athletic Center.
Mansfield, a Wilmington High School graduate, scored 14 points for the Purple Raiders. Mansfield played four years at Wilmington before transferring to Mount Union to play a fifth season because of Covid-19.
Wilmington shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, but just 6-of-21 from three-point distance. The Quakers won the rebounding battle 42-33.
Abdul Kanu led the Quakers with 13 points in defeat while Obed Achirem had nine points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Wilmington will have a week off for the Christmas holiday and return to action at the Christopher Newport Tournament Dec. 29-30.
The Quakers took a 7-2 lead early on two-point baskets from Obed Achirem and Abdul Kanu with a three-pointer from Domenic Farley in between. The Purple Raiders regained the lead on a three from Darrell Newsom, but a Gavin Heimlich long-distance jumper followed on the ensuing possession pulled the visitors within a point at 15-14 midway through the first half.
Kanu made a basket a minute later, but Mount Union answered with a 7-3 spurt. Trailing by six, a Hunter Prince basket pulled WC within four 30-26, but Mount Union ended the half on an 11-6 run.
Newsom connected from long-distance to open the second half. An Abdul Kanu layup made the score 44-34, but a 15-6 Purple Raider run that followed put the game away.
