UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — The Wilmington College men’s basketball team fell to John Carroll University 89-72 on the road in Ohio Athletic Conference competition Saturday afternoon.

Wilmington is 4-9 following the loss, 2-4 in the OAC. John Carroll improves to 10-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

Jeffery Mansfield led WC with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. DaeShawn Jackson had 13 for Wilmington while Abdul Kanu finished with 11.

Wilmington’s defense got things started as a Colin Myers’ steal on the first possession led to a three-pointer by Payton Smith. The Blue Streaks, after a couple of empty possessions, scored on five straight to take a 12-9 lead at the 16:20 mark. Mansfield got fouled on the Quakers’ next possession and converted both free throws to pull back within one 12-11.

Then came the JCU run that would ultimately decide the game. The Blue Streaks’ defense held Wilmington to just four points over the next nine-and-half-minutes. The Quakers scored on consecutive possessions thanks to a Kanu layup, steal and Mansfield layup, but found themselves trailing 36-19 at the 5:58 mark.

JCU, which 47-31 at halftime, held a double-digit lead all the way until the final two minutes. Wilmington closed with 57-46 on an Aaron Mullins layup midway through the half and within nine 78-69 on two Mansfield free throws at the 2:08 mark. The Blue Streaks answered with a 9-0 run to seal the win.

Wilmington was held under 40 percent shooting for the fifth time this season while JCU converted 29-of-60 (48.3 percent). The Blue Streaks also poured in 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) from three-point distance while the Quakers made 6-of-24 (25.0 percent).

Wilmington hosts Otterbein University on Wednesday.