Wilkes University Athletics

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Steve Finkernagel

WILKES MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AGAINST SCRANTON 71-53 IN CROSS COUNTY CHALLENGE OPENER

1/2/2012 8:20:00 PM

Box Score

WILKES MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AGAINST SCRANTON 71-53 IN CROSS COUNTY CHALLENGE OPENER

SCRANTON, PA – Coming off a 22-day layoff, the Wilkes University men's basketball team shot a season-low 35.7 percent (20-56) from the field and just 11.1 percent (1-9) from the three-point line as the Colonels could not shake off the rust dropping a 71-53 decision against the University of Scranton in the opening game of the inaugural Cross County Challenge at Marywood University's Insalaco Arena.

Wilkes falls to 6-3 overall suffering their second straight defeat after falling to unbeaten Lycoming College on December 10th in their final contest of 2011. Scranton improves to 7-4 following the non-league victory.

Wilkes took their first lead of the contest at 9-7 following a Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) layup off a dish from Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) at the 15:00 minute mark. Antoher score in the paint, this time by Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) kept the Colonels in front 13-12 just two minutes later. Scranton used a quick 6-0 spurt to take their largest lead of the half, 22-17 with 7:41 left in the opening stanza. A Tyler Breznitsky (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) jumper followed by two Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) layups stopped the Royal rally as Wilkes grabbed the lead back at 25-24 with 5:00 left to play in the frame. Another Scranton run, this time 7-2 over the final five minutes gave the Royals a slim 31-27 advantage at the break.

Scranton came out of the gates firing away from behind the arc to start the second half as the Royals canned five of their nine three-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the second half to take a 53-25 lead with 10:20 on the clock. The Wilkes offense went cold from the floor shooting making just nine field goals in the second frame as the Colonels could not get any closer than 17 points over the final nine minutes of play.

Huch was the lone Colonel to reach double figures finishing with 17 points and eight rebounds shooting an efficient 8-for-14 from the floor. Wilson added eight points, while Mullins and Hinze contributed seven tallies each.

For Scranton, Travis Farrell finished with 15 points and three boards, while Ross Danzig followed with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Matt Swaback rounded out the Royals in double figures with 10 points and five rebounds. Scranton outrebounded Wilkes 36-31 throughout including 11 offensive rebounds.

Wilkes will play their second game of the Cross County Challenge tomorrow when they face the host Marywood University at 6:00 p.m. in the Insalaco Arena. The game will be televised live locally on Comcast channel 11 (Scranton area), Service Electric channel 4 (Wilkes-Barre area), Direct TV HD or DishNetwork channel 53 or over the air on channel 53.1. The broadcast will also be simulcast live on MyFoxNEPA.com.

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