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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
75
Delaware Valley DELVAL-M 13-10,8-4Freedom
78
Winner Wilkes University WUMB 11-12,6-6Freedom
Delaware Valley DELVAL-M
13-10,8-4Freedom
75
Final
78
Wilkes University WUMB
11-12,6-6Freedom
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Delaware Valley DELVAL-M 28 47 75
Wilkes University WUMB 35 43 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Colonels Pick Up Signature Win Over Delaware Valley 78-75

Colonels Pick Up Signature Win Over Delaware Valley 78-75
 
WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University Colonels picked up a huge Freedom Conference win by knocking off Delaware Valley 78-75 on Saturday afternoon.

The win improves the Colonels record to 11-12 overall and 6-6 in the Freedom.  Del Val falls to 13-10 overall and 8-4 in the conference.

Wilkes opened up a 13-8 lead six minutes into the game thanks in part to five points from Tyler Jackson (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) and four points from Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood).  Delaware Valley responded with a quick 10-3 spurt to regain the lead at 18-16 at the midway point in the first half.  With the Colonels trailing 21-18 they went on a 7-0 run sparked by five points from junior Steve Stravinski (Pittston, PA/Pittston) to lead 25-21 with 7:24 left in the half.  Stravinksi capped off another 8-4 run with a three-point play giving the Colonels an eight point lead their biggest of the game.  Wilkes went into the locker room up 35-28 at the half thanks to some hot shooting from the floor: 15-for-28 (53.6%).  Del Val made only eight field goals in the half; however, six of those field goals were from beyond the arc.

As the second half began Wilkes was able to maintain their lead not letting the Aggies get closer than five points until the score was 45-42 with 11:39 remaining in the game.  On the next possession Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) collected two huge offensive rebounds scoring a layup on the second one and drawing a foul for an old fashioned three-point play.  Hinkel's and-one stymied the Aggies run and rejuvenated the Colonels momentum.  Hinkel made two foul shots on the next Colonels possession capping off a 7-1 run by himself extending the Colonels lead to 50-43 with 10:29 left on the clock.

Jackson hit what looked like to be a dagger three-pointer against the Aggies putting Wilkes up 60-50 with 5:16 remaining but the Aggies were able to scratch and claw their way back making it very interesting down the stretch.  Over the next two minutes Wilkes made 5-out-of-6 from the charity stripe and kept the lead at nine points with 2:44 remaining in the game.

Delaware Valley's Chris Moran scored six quick points and two foul shots by Francis Arnold were able to trim the lead to 71-66 with :54 seconds left to play.  Jackson sank two free throws to extend the lead to seven before Zach Sly hit a big three-pointer for the Aggies to make it a 73-69 game with just :42 seconds left on the clock.  Wilkes turned the ball over on the next possession after a bad pass resulted in Jackson fouling Barry Brockington and forcing him to the line.  Brockington made both foul shot attempts making it a one possession game at 73-71 with :33 seconds remaining.  Stravinski got trapped in the corner on the ensuing out-of-bounds play and was forced into an errant pass that was stolen away by Moran who finished at the rack to tie the game up at 73-73 with :27 seconds left in the game.

Jackson was fouled taking it to the rim with :21 seconds remaining.  After making the first shot he missed the second and after two Aggies let the rebound fall between them Hinkel was able to corral the huge offensive board and find Jackson who was fouled and sent to the line again.  Jackson with ice in his veins made both shots to give Wilkes a 76-73 lead with :16 seconds left in the game.  Nick Sullivan drew a foul off of a corner three-point shot giving the Aggies a chance at tying the score if he was able to connect on all three foul shots.  Sullivan's first attempt missed and after he made the next two Del Val still trailed 76-75.

The Aggies were creating havoc for the Colonels trying to in-bounds the ball all afternoon after a score. Jeremy Hartman (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional) made sure the last in-bounds play of the game was not going to be difficult as he was able to find Hinkel in stride over the top with a perfect quarterback style pass leading to Hinkel's breakaway layup in which he was also able to draw a foul.  Hinkel missed the foul shot and Brockington's game-tying three-pointer fell short at the buzzer as the Colonels held on for the exciting 78-75 win over the second place Aggies.

Jackson led Wilkes with 24 points making 11-out-of-12 foul shots on the afternoon.  Hinkel had a monster game with 21 points and nine assists with Stravinski adding 13 points and six rebounds.  As a team the Colonels shot 46.3% (25-54) from the floor, 31.6% (6-19) from three-point land and made 81.5% (22-27) of their foul shot attempts.

Del Val was led by Arnold's 24 points and five assists with Chris Moran's (16 points, 7 rebounds) and Zach Sly's (10 points, 3 assists) helping the Aggies in the defeat. 

Wilkes returns to action Tuesday evening when they face off against FDU-Florham in their final regular season game of the year at the Marts Center.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. 
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