RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Junior Dee-End McRae (Newark, N.J./Newark Central) made the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds remaining in regulation time and classmate Jaylen Colon (Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) was 4 for 4 at the free-throw line during the final 0:08.2 as Felician University captured a 90-87 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men's basketball victory over visiting Wilmington (Del.) University on Monday night at Job Gymnasium. Felician earned its third win in the last five days.

The Golden Falcons (13-7, 8-4 CACC), who have five conference games remaining, solidified their hold on third place in the CACC North Division, and moved to within a half-game of second-place Dominican (N.Y.) College. The top four teams in each division will earn spots in the 2022 conference championship tournament, with the top two hosting quarterfinal matchups. Felician has a 1 /2 game edge over fifth place.

Junior Justin Davis (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) led Felician with 28 points and nine rebounds and added four assists. McRae (five rebounds, four assists) and Colon (four rebounds, five assists) finished with 16 points each. McRae was 7 for 9 from the field and Colon 6 for 9, leading the Golden Falcons to 55-percent shooting from the floor.

Trailing by seven in the latter stages of the first half, Felician closed to within a 46-45 halftime deficit. Sparked by junior Ebuka Nnagbo (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Park School of Buffalo) (six points, three rebounds, three blocks in 12 minutes) the Golden Falcons quickly built a seven-point second-half lead. The hosts were still ahead by eight at the 9:08 mark, and assumed their largest advantage, 75-64, on two Davis free throws with 6:55 remaining.

But Wilmington came all the way back, moving in front, 81-80, on a Danny Walsh (Bear, Del./William Penn) layup with 2:08 to play. It was the first of six lead changes down the stretch, culminating in an up-and-under move from McRae. The Wildcats then front-rimmed a jumper, which Colon rebounded. Wilmington was forced to foul and Colon made both shots. The Wildcats then drove for a quick layup, but only 0:03.0 remained. Colon again made two at the foul line at 0:01.8, and the Wildcats could not get off a final shot.

Walsh was 12 for 17 from the floor and finished with 29 points and four assists. Felician sophomore Nas Amos (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) had 11 points and freshman teammate Sean McCarthy (Cork, Ireland/Colaiste Choilm) scored nine.

The Golden Falcons host regionally-ranked Thomas Jefferson University, the first-place team in the CACC South Division, on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Rutherford.