Steve Finkernagel

WILKES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. CEDAR CREST

1/23/2012 1:54:00 PM

(Complete Game Notes)

WILKES WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. CEDAR CREST

Wilkes Lady Colonels (4-12) vs. Cedar Crest Falcons (3-14)
Monday, January 23, 2012 - 8:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Marts Center

Live Stats

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

AT A GLANCE
Wilkes University concludes its non-conference slate against Cedar Crest College Monday in the Marts Center. Last season the Lady Colonels came away with a 75-66 victory in Allentown, Pa. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Wilkes women's basketball team fell to FDU-Florham Saturday afternoon from the Marts Center, 57-49.

FDU-Florham won the opening tip-off and were first to get on the board. A jumper by Whitney Connolly (Liberty, PA/Liberty) notched the game up early in the first half. The Devils took their largest lead of the day 19-6, as they capped off a 13-0 run with 5:43 left. Within the closing minutes of the first half Wilkes cut the lead to just nine points. At the half it was FDU-Florham 24 and Wilkes 15.

The Lady Colonels jumped out with a 6-0 run to open the second half as they cut the deficit to five points with 16:23 left in the game. A three-pointer by Megan Kazmerski (Kingston, PA/Holy Redeemer) put Wilkes within four points as FDU-Florham held a slight edge 31-27 with fourteen and change remaining. With ten minutes left, the Devils regained control as they went up by 12 points, 41-29. The Lady Colonels did as much as they could to get back in the game as a jumper by Connolly with 7:15 left pulled Wilkes to within five, but the Lady Colonels would come no closer as FDU-Florham captured their second Freedom Conference road victory.

Kazmerski led the way for Wilkes with 15 points on the afternoon shooting 2-for-6 from beyond the arc. She also chipped in nine rebounds, two steals and two assists. Connolly followed with 11 points going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Allison Walsh (Dickson City, PA/Mid Valley) led the Lady Colonels on the glass finishing with 15 rebounds, including 13 on the defensive end of the floor.

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 90 games and 64 starts under her belt. For the season, Connolly averages 8.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg shooting 80.0 percent (52-65) from the charity stripe.

Pawlowski, a junior captain, is also one of the most experienced Lady Colonels. Playing in 65 career games earning 64 starts, she has logged over 1,790 minutes on the court for Wilkes. Pawlowski is the floor general for Wilkes averaging 5.4 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 13.4 ppg and 6.1 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 eleven 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 8.8 ppg and 2.6 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 two 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 3.9 points, 5.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds in a team-high 32.2 minutes per-contest.

ROOKIE RUNNING WILD
Stambone is off to a great start in a Wilkes uniform with 11.9 ppg and averages 2.5 rpg. She is shooting 34.5 percent (71-206) from the field and 27.4 percent (23-84) from three-point range in 21.1 mpg off the bench for the Lady Colonels. She has reached double figures in ten 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 12.4 points and 14.4 rpg in the first sixteen Wilkes games of 2011-12.

Walsh is averaging 7.8 points and a team-best 8.0 rebounds earning fifteen starts this year. The freshman is shooting 40.9 percent (36-88) from the field scoring a majority of her points in the paint. Her 48 offensive rebounds leads the squad. Brown adds 4.6 points and 6.4 rebounds including 61 defensive boards.

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