Steve Finkernagel

WILKES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. EASTERN

1/24/2012 2:59:00 PM

(Complete Game Notes)

WILKES WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES VS. EASTERN

Wilkes Lady Colonels (5-12, 0-6) vs. Eastern Eagles (12-4, 4-2)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 6:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Marts Center

Live Stats

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

AT A GLANCE
Wilkes University is back on the court against Eastern University in Freedom Conference action from the Marts Center Wednesday evening. Last season the Eagles came away with two victories over the Lady Colonels . The first matchup was in St. Davids as Eastern earned a 70-34 win then posted a 70-58 victory in Wilkes-Barre.

LAST TIME OUT
Freshman Elena Stambone (Jessup, PA/Valley View) scored 20 points and Allison Walsh (Dickson City, PA/Mid Valley) added her fourth double-double of the season (13 pts/11 rebs) as Wilkes University snapped a nine-game losing skid with a 75-62 victory over Cedar Crest College Monday night in the Marts Center. The win marks the final non-conference contest of the year for Wilkes. Cedar Crest jumped out to an early lead midway through the first frame thanks to six straight points from Lizzy Sunderhaus. Wilkes responded after starting cold offensively using a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to two, 10-8, capped off by a steal and layup from Stambone with 12:50 left in the half. After another quick rally from the Falcons increased their advantage to 16-8 two minutes later, Wilkes used a 20-2 run to end the half to take a 28-18 lead at the break. The Lady Colonel defense forced six turnovers over the stretch and Walsh cashed in on seven of her 13 points during the Wilkes spurt.

The second half saw the Wilkes lead grow to as many as 25 with 8:11 left with some stingy defense leading to easy transition scores. Four consecutive layups, one by Stambone, two by Kazmerski and a triple from Besiana Sheshi (Baltimore, MD/Maryvale Preparatory) gave Wilkes a 64-39 lead. Cedar Crest clawed back to get to within 10 after a Sunderhaus trey, but the Lady Colonels held on with a Kazmerski layup and free throw to seal the non-league win. Stambone finished 9-for-18 from the field and added six rebounds and three assists. Walsh was impressive in the paint posting 13 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Whitney Connolly (Liberty, PA/Liberty) added eight points and three rebounds, while Chelsea Brown (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) chipped in seven points and six rebounds off the bench.

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 91 games and 65 starts under her belt. For the season, Connolly averages 8.7 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 66 career games earning 65 starts, she has logged over 1,820 minutes on the court for Wilkes. Pawlowski is the floor general for Wilkes averaging 5.4 apg through seventeen 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 13.0 ppg and 5.8 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 8.7 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 40.0 percent (48-120) of her shots from the field in 21.6 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 3.8 points, 5.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds in a team-high 32.0 minutes per-contest.

ROOKIE RUNNING WILD
Stambone is off to a great start in a Wilkes uniform with 12.4 ppg and averages 2.7 rpg. She is shooting 35.7 percent (80-224) from the field and 27.0 percent (24-89) from three-point range in 21.2 mpg off the bench for the Lady Colonels. She has reached double figures in eleven 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 12.9 points and 14.6 rpg in the first seventeen Wilkes games of 2011-12.

Walsh is averaging 8.1 points and a team-best 8.2 rebounds earning sixteen starts this year. The freshman is shooting 42.3 percent (41-97) from the field scoring a majority of her points in the paint. Her 52 offensive rebounds leads the squad. Brown adds 4.8 points and 6.4 rebounds including 65 defensive boards.

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