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Wilkes University Athletics

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE WILKES UNIVERSITY COLONELS
THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE WILKES UNIVERSITY COLONELS WILKES UNIVERSITY COLONELS
Steve Finkernagel
100
Winner Susquehanna SUSM 6-1
91
Wilkes University WUMB 6-2
Winner
Susquehanna SUSM
6-1
100
Final
91
Wilkes University WUMB
6-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Susquehanna SUSM 38 48 14 100
Wilkes University WUMB 33 53 5 91

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Wilkes Falls in OT Against Susquehanna in Monarch Classic Opener

Wilkes Falls in OT Against Susquehanna in Monarch Classic Opener
 
WILKES-BARRE – Alec Wizar (Lebanon, PA/Annville Cleona) scored a career-high 32 points including a career-best eight three-pointers, but Susquehanna University outscored the Colonels 14-5 in the overtime period on way to a 100-91 victory Friday night in game one of the Monarch Classic
 
Wilkes moves to 6-2 overall following the non-league defeat snapping a six-game win streak in the process. Susquehanna improved to 6-1 on the young season.
 
Susquehanna built a 29-11 lead 14 minutes into the contest thanks to some hot shooting from the perimeter including four three-pointers. A three-pointer from Mason Gross (Hughestown, PA/Pittston) and subsequent inside score from the rookie forward cut the Susquehanna lead to ten, 31-21 with 4:15 left in the half. After a Crusaders turnover, Wizar rang true from deep brining the Colonels to within eight, 31-23 with 3:01 remaining till the break. Gross added another top-of-the-key trey and Zachary Brunner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) added a bucket inside the paint one minute later as Wilkes settled down 38-33 at the half.
 
Wilkes responded early in the second frame scoring the stanzas first three buckets before another Wizar three-pointer tied the game for the first time at 42. One possession later, Brunner put the Colonels on top with a put-back score as Wilkes led 44-42 with 16:51 left.
 
Wizar continued his torrent shooting from behind the arc hitting his fifth deep trey extending the advantage to 47-42, the largest lead of the contest for Wilkes just two possessions later. Back-to-back three-pointers from Wizar and Steve Stravinski (Pittston, PA/Pittston) put the Colonels ahead 57-50 with 13:29 on the clock forcing a Crusaders timeout.
 
From there, Susquehanna clawed its way back using three transition scores to tie the game at 71 with just over six minutes remaining. The teams traded three-pointers before Wizar nailed his seventh trey giving Wilkes a 77-74 lead with 3:43 left. Another Wizar three, his career-best eighth triple, after a Susquehanna timeout put Wilkes up 80-76 with just over two minutes remaining.
 
A transition layup and clutch jumper from the wing brought Susquehanna back over the final minute of play as the Crusaders forced overtime when its defense denied two Colonel attempts at a win on regulations final possession. Stravinski missed a layup and a Brunner put-back was short as the game went into the extra session tied at 86.
 
Susquehanna used two straight three-pointers to start the overtime period outscoring Wilkes 14-5 in the frame to complete the comeback.
 
Wizar finished shooting 10-for-17 from the field and 8-for-11 from behind the arc on way to his career night. Brunner followed with 22 points and ten rebounds, while Stravinski and Gross tallied ten points each.
 
As a team, Wilkes connected on a season-high 13 three-pointers on 33 attempts.
 
Jason Dietrich led six Crusaders in double figures with a team-high 24 points and six boards.
 
The Colonels face Gwynedd-Mercy tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. to conclude the tournament.
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