Steve Finkernagel

WILKES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. FDU-FLORHAM

1/20/2012 9:29:00 AM

(Complete Game Notes)

WILKES WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. FDU-FLORHAM

Wilkes Lady Colonels (4-11, 0-5) vs. FDU-Florham Devils (7-9, 1-4)
Saturday, January 21, 2012 - 1:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Marts Center

Live Stats

Live Audio (ESPN Williamsport/Play-By-Play: Trevor Turner)

AT A GLANCE
Wilkes University continues their Freedom Conference slate with a home contest against FDU-Florham. Last season the Devils and the Lady Colonels split the two meetings. FDU-Florham took the first matchup 90-73, while Wilkes posted a 63-59 victory in the series finale. Tip-off is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. from the Marts Center.

LAST TIME OUT
Freshman Elena Stambone (Jessup, PA/Valley View) had a game high 17 points for Wilkes University in a 68-47 loss at cross-town rival King's College Wednesday evening from the Scandlon Gymnasium.

King's won the opening tip-off and scored first on the board. Wilkes tied it up with a basket by Whitney Connolly (Liberty, PA/Liberty). The first three pointer of night for Wilkes by Stambone cut the lead to just one, 6-5 with fifteen and change left. A layup by Angela Palmerio (Telford, PA/Lansdale Catholic) put the Lady Colonels up by one, as it was their first lead of the night. Three free throws by Amanda Pawlowski (Nanticoke, PA/Holy Redeemer) put Wilkes up by one, 10-9 with 11:12 left in the half. Two possessions later Whitney Connolly (Liberty, PA/Liberty) increased the lead for the Lady Colonels to three points. A 7-0 run by the Lady Monarchs gave King's a 19-14 advantage with 4:10 remaining. A steal and driving layup by Stambone cut their deficit to four. At the half King's held a slight edge 26-22.

To open the second half a layup by Megan Kazmerski (Kingston, PA/Holy Redeemer) put Wilkes within two, 26-24. A three pointer by Stambone notched the game up at 29 with 16:18 left to play. Using a 17-2 run mid-way through the second half King's took a 20 point advantage with 6:16 left, 55-35. The Lady Monarchs never looked back after that claiming the 68-47 conference victory.

Stambone led the way for Wilkes with 17 total points on the night shooting 7-for-12 from the floor. Kazmerski added eleven points and six rebounds. Allison Walsh (Dickson City, PA/Mid Valley) garnered 11 rebounds on the night, a team high.

THE CAPTAINS
The Lady Colonels are captained by Sr. G Whitney Connelly and Jr. G Amanda Pawlowski (Nanticoke, PA/Holy Redeemer).

Connolly brings her all-around game back to the Lady Colonels for her final season, as she has 89 games and 63 starts under her belt. For the season, Connolly averages 8.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg shooting 79.7 percent (47-59) from the charity stripe.

Pawlowski, a junior captain, is also one of the most experienced Lady Colonels. Playing in 64 career games earning 63 starts, she has logged over 1,760 minutes on the court for Wilkes. Pawlowski is the floor general for Wilkes averaging 5.6 apg through sixteen contests.

THE SCORER
Kazmerski led the Lady Colonels in scoring as a freshman scoring 11.5 ppg in her 26.6 mpg of action, then followed that ranking second on the team last year at 11.4 ppg in 31.1 mpg of play. She hit double figures 19 times during the season, including the final seven contests. With a 34.3 FG%, Kazmerski went 111-324 from the floor and also led the team with 7.5 rpg, including 153 defensive boards (6.1 pg).

Kazmerski jumped out to a quick start this season averaging 13.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg. She registered her first double-double of the year pouring in 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the win at Keystone. Kazmerski posted a season-high 27 points shooting 9-for-16 from the floor and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in the loss against Manhattanville. She has hit double figures in scoring ten times this season.

ALL-AROUND
One of the most versatile players for the Lady Colonels, Connelly has been a major contributor on both ends of the floor this season.

Connelly, the lone senior on this year's squad, has taken a large leadership role for Wilkes in the backcourt. She averages 8.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg starting all twelve contests at shooting guard for Wilkes. She poured in a season high 21 points in the loss against Centenary College.

She possesses the ability to break down defenders and create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. Connolly has hit 39.4 percent (41-104) of her shots from the field in 21.8 mpg.

RUNNING THE POINT
A 23-game starter as a sophomore last year, Pawlowski returns to the point for the Lady Colonels this season.

Pawlowski registered three or more assists in every contest thus far this season for Wilkes including a season-high eight helpers against Susquehanna and Lycoming. For the season, she is averaging 4.1 points, 5.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in a team-high 32.1 minutes per-contest.

ROOKIE RUNNING WILD
Stambone is off to a great start in a Wilkes uniform with 12.1 ppg and averages 2.6 rpg. She is shooting 34.5 percent (67-194) from the field and 28.2 percent (22-78) from three-point range in 20.9 mpg off the bench for the Lady Colonels. She has reached double figures in nine games, pouring in a career-high 22 points including three steals and two rebounds in a loss at Albright.

DYNAMIC FRONTCOURT DUO
Rookie forwards Allison Walsh (Dickson City, PA/Mid Valley) and Chelsea Brown (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) have adjusted to the college game just fine as the duo has combine for 12.6 points and 13.8 rpg in the first fifteen Wilkes games of 2011-12. Walsh is averaging 7.8 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds earning fourteen starts this year. The freshman is shooting 43.8 percent (35-80) from the field scoring a majority of her points in the paint. Her 46 offensive rebounds leads the squad. Brown adds 4.8 points and 6.3 rebounds including 55 defensive boards.

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