Steve Finkernagel

COLONELS OPEN FREEDOM PLAY WEDNESDAY HOSTING MISERICORDIA

11/28/2011 4:12:00 PM

(Complete Game Notes)

COLONELS OPEN FREEDOM PLAY WEDNESDAY HOSTING MISERICORDIA

Wilkes Colonels (3-1) vs. Misericordia Cougars (5-0)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 8:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre, PA / Marts Center

Live Stats

Live Audio (Play-by-Play: Trevor Turner)

AT A GLANCE
This will mark the Freedom Conference opener for both squads as the teams split the season series last year. Misericordia grabbed an 86-71 decision in Dallas, Pa. before the Colonels claimed a 77-64 victory in the Marts Center in early February. The teams are deadlocked at 3 wins apiece dating back to the 2008-09 season.

LAST TIME OUT
Sr. G Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) and Sr. F Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) combined for 38 points and nine rebounds to lead host Wilkes University to a 77-57 win over Baptist Bible College last Tuesday night in the Marts Center.

Mullins continued his fine play to start the year finishing 7-for-14 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the line adding two steals. Huch went 7-for-15 from the field, including a 4-for-6 performance from behind the arc as Baptist Bible played zone for most of the game. Huch added eight boards, three on the offensive end. Sr. C Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) was the other Colonel in double figures finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.

As a team Wilkes shot 42.6 percent (26-61) and a season-high 43.5 percent (10-23) from three-point land. The Colonels also held a 36-28 advantage on the boards controlling the paint for most of the contest. The Wilkes defense was aggressive causing 19 Defender turnovers throughout.

WHO'S BACK
The Colonels return 12 players, including four starters, from last year's squad. Three of those will return as starters, Sr. G Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley), Sr. F Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional), and Sr. C Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) as Wilkes has proven to be a very deep team in 2011-12.

Sr. G M. Mullins            Jr. G T. Breznitsky          So. F P. Furst
Sr. F P. Huch                Jr. G S. Blish                 So. G C. Thomas
Sr. C K. Hinze               Jr. G C. Richardson        So. G M. Boylan
So. G M. Hayes            So. F B. Sheldon            So. F N. Wilkins

THE CAPTAINS
The trio of captains for the Colonels this season are Mullins, Huch and Hinze. The top three returning scorers for Wilkes, Mullins, Huch, and Hinze are the senior leaders of this year's squad.

Mullins leads the offensive attack averaging 20.0 ppg (2nd in the MAC) and 2.5 rpg. The senior sharpshooter is connecting on 53.3 percent (24-45) from the field and 89.7 percent (26-29) from the charity stripe. Huch and Hinze have controlled the paint combining for 27.6 ppg and 16.3 rpg.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Hinze enters his second year as a full-time starter in 2011-12 and has anchored a Colonels frontcourt loaded with experience and depth at all positions. Hinze topped the conference in field goal percentage (61.4 %) last season, and continues to be the premier big man in Freedom play this season shooting over 50.0 percent (13-26) from the field.

His best game in a Wilkes uniform came last year in a loss against Delaware Valley last year when he poured in a career-high 32 points and grabbed five rebounds and three assists. He went 9-of-12 from the floor and 14-of-18 from the charity stripe in the contest.

HUCH INSIDE AND OUT
At 6-5, Huch is a matchup problem for opposing defenses every night as the senior guard-forward can play on the perimeter as well as with his back to the basket. He provides productivity in three different categories for Wilkes scoring points, grabbing rebounds, and blocking shots. He's off to a hot start this season filling the stat sheet averaging 17.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg (team-high). Huch has reached double figures in all four contests this season recording two double-doubles.

MULLINS FOR MAYOR
Mullins had a career performance in the loss against Dickinson pouring in 26 points on 5-for-12 shooting from the floor while grabbing four rebounds in 37 minutes of action. He also found a way to get to the free throw line all night finishing 14-for-16 from the stripe. He followed that performance with a 19-point performance in the win over BBC eight days ago.

BACKCOURT RESERVES
Jr. G Tyler Breznitsky (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) saw his minutes increase as last season went on, providing a spark off the bench. He continues to provide a spark off the pine this year averaging 8.3 ppg, hitting on 61.5 percent (8-13) of his three-point attempts. Fellow Jr. G Cliff Richardson (Bernville, PA/Tulpehocken) (Bernville, PA/Tulpehocken) and So. G Craig Thomas (Avenel, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick) (Avenel, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick) continue to add depth to the Wilkes backcourt as Thomas averages 2.8 ppg in 9.5 mpg, while Richardson averages 3.0 mpg.

THE FRESHMEN
The Colonels welcome in seven true freshmen this season, including G Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley), G Trevor Gilliam (Powhatan, VA/Blessed Sacrament Huguenot), G Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood), F Mike Sharpe (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley), F Jeremy Hartman (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional), C Rodney Hill, and C Lee Strause (Port Carbon, PA/Pottsville Nativity). Wilson has started in all four games for Wilkes thus far averaging 7.8 ppg and 3.0 apg in 24.3 mpg. Hinkel has two starts under his belt averaging 1.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg in 14.0 mpg.

THE HEAD MAN
Wilkes head coach Jerry Rickrode is in his 20th season at the helm, compiling a 349-153 (.695) career record. He has taken the Colonels to the conference playoffs 16 times, including 10 straight from 1992-93-2001-02. He has also led Wilkes to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1994-95-1998-99), including four Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and one Final Four appearance. He's also a four-time NABC Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and a three-time Freedom/MAC Coach of the year.

THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF MARTS
The Colonels have been very successful playing at home under Rickrode, putting together a 203-52 (.796) record. In 1997-98, when the Colonels advanced to the Final Four, they went 17-0 and the next year went 14-0, moving on to the Elite Eight. Last season Wilkes went 10-3, including wins over cross-town rival King's and Misericordia University. The Colonels are 2-0 this year at home.

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