Melbourne United have snapped Perth's undefeated start to the NBL season with a gusty 84-81 win away from home at RAC Arena.
After a blistering start and taking leads into the second, third and final quarters in Perth on Friday, United battled a surging Wildcats outfit, led by former MVP Bryce Cotton.
Dean Vickerman's side were humbled in their last NBL outing but fought back to silence a packed crowd, with not even Cotton's heroic 32-point performance enough to stop them coming away with their seventh consecutive victory at RAC Arena.
"When we got down heavy last week we didn't have a response and so tonight to get down, we locked in on the defensive end, we executed some stuff and that'll bring this group together a little bit more," Vickerman said.
With United boasting a six-point advantage heading into the fourth term, some costly turnovers allowed the Wildcats back into the game, as they gained the lead off a 10-0 run.
But the visitors rallied with the lead changing a further four times as the game reached its final 90 seconds.
A 6-0 run in that time span flattened a valiant Wildcats side who had a chance to tie the game at 84, but Cotton's step-back three-pointer rattled off the iron.
The win moves United to two wins and one loss early in the season and leaves every team in the competition with at least one loss after the previously undefeated Sydney Kings were beaten by Cairns earlier on Friday.
Isaac Humphries stood tall for the visitors with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, Xavier Rathan-Mayes adding 17 of his own, Chris Goulding 16 points and Rayjon Tucker 14 points.
United began on a 9-0 run and led by as many as 13 points in the opening term.
Wildcats coach John Rillie rued that slow start which was a common theme for them last year.
"We've got great fight, got a great bunch of dudes who love to play for each other, but we do just need to address the start of the game," he said.
Cotton ensured the visitors wouldn't streak away in the first half scoring 22 points heading into the sheds.
United's margin then hovered around seven points as the fourth term came around, but ultimately the visitors' late-game defence and superior three-point shooting proved the difference.
United's win came at a cost, though, as they lost Lachlan Barker, who was floored by a Jesse Wagstaff screen and ruled out with a concussion in the first half.
