The John Carroll University men's basketball team has not fared well of late in Wilmington. That changed Saturday.
 
Behind a season-best 56.9 team field goal percentage John Carroll topped host Wilmington 88-78 on Saturday afternoon inside the Fred Raizk Arena. The Blue Streaks had dropped six of their last seven in Wilmington prior to today.

"Our guys saw things weren't going on the perimeter so they shot it from inside," said assistant coach Frank O'Brien. "I'm proud of them."
 
John Carroll utilized its deep platoon once again as a key to the victory with six players finishing with double figures. Junior Danny Wallack led the way with a season-high 17 points. Joining Wallack in double figures were Will Starks (14), Ryan Farragher (11), Doug Caputo (10), David Linane (10) and Tony Vuyancih (10).

Said O'Brien, "That's the kind of balance Coach Moran always looks for. It was good to see."
 
John Carroll raced out to an 8-0 run less than three minutes into the game. Senior Jake Hollinger led the charge for the Blue and Gold with four points during the opening run.
 
Hollinger continued his hot start with a dunk with 13:38 left in the first half putting JCU up 18-8. Wilmington counted with a 12-2 run to tie the game at 20 with 8:26 remaining in the opening stanza.
 
The two teams would roll into a defensive battle with only four points tallied on the scoreboard over the ensuing four minutes. Enter Farragher.
 
The junior scored John Carroll's next six points to open up a 28-24 Blue Streak advantage with 3:28 remaining in the frame. He would finish the first half with 10 points.
 
John Carroll shot 52 percent in the opening 20 minutes while holding its counterpart to 32.3 percent from the field.
 
Wilmington's John Righter converted an and-one with 14:27 remaining in the second half to cut John Carroll's lead to one at 49-48. The Blue Streaks' second platoon responded with a 7-0 run led by five points from Starks to take a 58-50 lead with 11:52 remaining.
 
Wallack heated up late to help close out the game. A 3-pointer from the junior gave the Blue and Gold a 10-point lead with 7:46 remaining. He would make it an 11-point game with 3:57 remaining at 78-67 capping a 6-0 run. The Mentor, Ohio native extended the lead to 13 with 2:20 remaining.
 
Wallack would finish 4-for-4 at the charity stripe in the final minute to prevent any comeback attempt by the Fightin' Quakers.

Said O'Brien, "We're all happy for Danny because he works so hard. He's a good shooter for us."
 
John Carroll improved to 12-4, 8-2 OAC while Wilmington fell to 7-9, 4-6 OAC. The Fightin' Quakers were held to just 34.3 percent shooting from the field, the fourth-straight game JCU has held the opposition below 40 percent.
 
Of not, both games this year against Wilmington were 10-point wins by John Carroll. The Blue Streaks defeated the Fightin' Quakers 96-86 December 13.
 
John Carroll returns home to host Heidelberg at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28. At halftime the Blue Streaks will honor their fall student-athletes who excelled on the field and in the classroom.