Wilkes University Athletics

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Steve Finkernagel

HUCH’S CAREER-HIGH 29 POINTS LIFTS WILKES OVER MARYWOOD 89-70 IN CROSS COUNTY CHALLENGE FINALE

1/3/2012 8:09:00 PM

Box Score

HUCH'S CAREER-HIGH 29 POINTS LIFTS WILKES OVER MARYWOOD 89-70 IN CROSS COUNTY CHALLENGE FINALE

SCRANTON – Senior forward Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) scored a career-high 29 points on 13-for-16 shooting to lead Wilkes University over Marywood University 89-70 in the PNC Cross County Challenge finale Tuesday night in the Insalaco Arena.

With the win Wilkes moves to 7-3 overall on the year ending a two-game losing streak. Marywood falls to 4-8 on the season.

The Colonels felt little effects from a cold shooting performance against Scranton a night ago hitting their first four three-point attempts grabbing an early 17-4 lead with 15:23 in the first half. Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) was the point man from the outside shooting barrage connecting on his fourth three pointer to increase the Wilkes advantage to 20-4 just one minute later. An old-fashioned three point play kept the lead at 16 points as Huch scored inside off the Colonel set play. Another trey from Mullins, his fifth of the half, pushed the lead to 30-11 with 11:25 left in the opening stanza.

From there, Mullins found Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) for a slam down low and Huch followed with a driving score to the basket as Wilkes led big, 43-24 at the break. Mullins and Huch carried the Colonels offensively in the first half combining for 30 of the Wilkes 43 tallies.

The second half started the way the game opened as Wilkes continued its torrid outside shooting. Huch showed his versatility with a deep trey from the top of the key to up the lead to 45-24 as the second half got underway. Four minutes later Mullins' season-high sixth trey of the contest gave Wilkes their largest advantage of the game up 54-29 with 16:32 remaining.

The host Pacers would mount a comeback on their home floor using Colonel miscues and some hot shooting from behind the arc of their own to cut the deficit to 58-47 with 10:12 to go. Six straight points from Huch ended any hopes of a complete Marywood comeback as the Pacers had no answer all night for the senior forward. Two more dunks, another from Hinze and a driving baseline slam from Huch, sealed the non-league win for the Colonels.

Huch added five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to his career-high performance. Mullins followed with 23 points on a season-high 7-for-10 shooting from behind the arc. Hinze added 14 points and five helpers, while Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) chipped in 11 points and five rebounds at the point. As a team, Wilkes shot a season-high 57.9 percent (11-19) from the three-point line and 58.3 percent (35-60) from the floor.

Brent Keyes led Marywood with 23 points and four rebounds. Shane Kellaher and Tyrone Baker each added 12 points, while Pierre Bakinde contributed 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Colonels continue their non-league road stretch Thursday when they travel to Williamsport, Pa. to face Penn College at 7:00 p.m.

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