Wilkes University used an 18-4 run over the last 6:14 of the game to propel it to a 73-59 win over Eastern to improve to 2-0 in the Freedom Conference.
Eastern's Danny Miller hit an 18-foot jumper to pull the Eagles within two (55-53) with 6:14 to go, but it would be the last field goal they would make the rest of the game. The Colonels closed out the game by making 9-of-12 free throws in the last 1:52 to pick up their fourth win of the season and second in a row.
The Colonels dominated the rebounding department, pulling down 25 more boards than the eagles with
Steve Kline (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) grabbing 14 and 12 respectively. Both picked up double-doubles with Kline scoring a game-high 24 points, while Kresge added 10.
Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly) scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half, marking the fifth time this season he has scored at least 20 points. The sophomore was 5-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point line.
DeRojas came up big in the second half as the game was tied at 40 with 12:18 until his three-straight three-pointers in less than two minutes to give the Colonels a nine-point lead.
Eastern took advantage of Wilkes' miscues, scoring 21 points off 19 Colonel turnovers, but managed just 39.3 percent from the field and six offensive rebounds.
Both teams exchanged buckets in the first half to start the game until the Colonels took a 7-2 run capped off with a pair of free throws by Kresge with 7:11 to go in the first.
Michael Donatoni (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley)'s three-pointer with 4:06 to go before the break gave Wilkes its first double-digit lead (27-17) with 4:06 to go, but the Colonels scored just three more points in the half to take a 30-25 lead into the locker room.
Kline made the back end of a pair of free throws to open the second half at the 19:47 mark, but it would be the last time the Colonels would score until over four minutes later when
Kyle Ruby (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) hit a jumper with 15:24 to play. By that time, the Eagles used a 13-0 run to take a 38-31 advantage.
Eastern would hold the lead until DeRojas gave the Colonels the lead for good with a three-pointer with 12:18 to go. The Eagles managed just four field goals after that, two of which came from Martin Soaries, who finished with seven points.
Jason Reels led the Eagles with 18 points, while Danny Miller added 14.
The Colonels will be back in action Friday, Dec. 19 when they hit to road to face PSU-Hazleton at 7:30 p.m. They will not return home until Jan. 3-4 when they host the Wilkes-Barre Challenge featuring King's, Elizabethtown and Ramapo.
