Marauders can't recover from halftime deficit

Monday, November 9

Wilmington, DE

6:00 PM

Millersville University

0-1,0-0PSAC

Wilmington

1-0,0-0CACC

Team	1	2	F
Millersville	39	37	76
Wilmington (DE)	55	26	81

Photo by: Kaya Wagner 2026

11/9/2026 9:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — The Millersville University basketball team nearly completed a late comeback Monday night in the 2026-27 season opener, but a sizable halftime deficit proved too much to overcome.

Millersville (0-1) has lost its last six games at Wilmington dating to 2011, and each loss has been by six points or fewer. The Marauders shot 28-for-57 (.491) from the field but struggled mightily from the line, making just 5 of 15 in the first half and finishing at 51.7% for the game. Wilmington (1-0) also created a major statistical contrast on the glass, holding a 51-37 rebounding edge, a 17-6 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 16-6 edge in second-chance points.

"Giving up 17 offensive rebounds is a joke," said Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel. "(Wilmington) was not bigger than us. The effort wasn't good enough. I can coach better, too. With a new group, I have to find ways to get them motivated but we need player to player accountability to play Millersville basketball--defense and rebounding--and we didn't do either of those."

Dante Weise scored 19 points, his most in a game since Nov. 22, 2025, and went 8-for-11 from the field with six rebounds and four assists. Jase Holland totaled 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks, setting career highs in points, assists and blocks. Carnell Henderson added 13 points, four rebounds and two steals, while Veron Talla, making his Millersville debut, had seven rebounds, three steals and three assists.

The Marauders were tied with Wilmington at 32-32 with 6:43 left in the first half, but the home team built a 55-39 lead by halftime. Tyson Shaw's three tied the game, and John Clemmons' free throws and 3-pointer with 5:55 remaining in the half started a 26-7 run to close the half.

"We just didn't guard," said Stitzel of the end of the first half. "We played really bad transition defense. We couldn't get into a rhythm because we couldn't make a foul shot. That's a momentum killer especially on the road. Counting our scrimmages, it was the first time we didn't have effort on the defensive end."

The Marauders made their push late in the second half, using a nine-point run to close a 78-67 deficit to 78-76 on Weise's 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining. Henderson opened the run with a dunk and free throw, while Talla and Holland added free throws before Weise's basket brought 'Ville within one possession. Wilmington made three free throws in the final minute, and 'Ville missed its final three shots as the comeback fell short.

"It was a tale of two halves," said Stitzel. "It's a lesson you have to learn. When you dig your hole on the road, it's tough to recover. Even then, we had shots in the air to tie the game. So we've got to learn from that and get better."

Because of injuries, Millersville used just eight players. Henderson was saddled with foul trouble throughout the game and played just 18 minutes. Russell also fouled out of the game.

"We are limited with our depth right now and that hurts with the way we want to play," said Stitzel. "But we didn't have the right mindset. We played harder in our first scrimmage than we did tonight, and that can't happen. This is a great opportunity for this group to get some adversity and see what we can do it this weekend at home in the Ron Wilson Classic.

UP NEXT
The Marauders host D'Youville on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, at 5 p.m., and play Winston-Salem State Saturday at 2 p.m., as part of the Ron Wilson '79 Classic.