Men's Basketball 2/6/2015 10:58:00 AM

Wilkes Basketball Teams Take on Misericordia on Veterans and Hall of Fame Weekend

Wilkes Basketball Teams Take on Misericordia on Veterans and Hall of Fame Weekend

WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's and women's basketball teams continue their stretch through the Freedom Conference schedule as both squads welcome local rival Misericordia University to the Marts Center on Saturday during Hall of Fame and Veterans Weekend.

The women's game will tip at 12:00 p.m. with the men's contest to follow at 2:00 p.m. Wilkes team members will pay tribute to veterans by wearing specially designed camouflage shirts. Shirts also will be available for sale. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Sandrino Plutino Military Appreciation Initiative, funding veterans initiatives at Wilkes University. Alessandro "Sandrino" Plutino was in the final weeks of his sixth tour of duty as a U.S. Army Ranger when he was killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan in 2011. He was a wrestler at Wilkes, graduating with a criminology degree in 2005.

The 2014 Wilkes Hall of Fame inductees will also be announced at halftime of the men's game.

Live stats, live video and live audio will be available for both contests at the following links.

Live Stats (women)

Live Stats (men)

Live Video

Live Audio (ESPN Williamsport)

The Wilkes women enter the game with an 8-10 overall record standing 3-6 in conference play after falling 81-52 against Eastern on Wednesday.

Elena Stambone (Jessup, PA/Valley View) tops the offense with 16.5 points and 2.9 rebounds including 31 made three-pointers. Chelsea Brown (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) follows with 10.5 points and a team-best 7.9 rebounds. Cara Basile (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) adds 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 21.5 minutes of action.

Wilkes averages 63.5 points per-game while allowing 68.4 points per contest.

The Misericordia women come into the game with a 1-19 overall mark and 1-8 in league play picking up its first win of the year against DeSales University 71-63 on Wednesday in Dallas, Pa.

Lauren Smicherko leads the Lady Cougars offensively averaging 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. Justine Seely follows with 11.5 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Shelby Brochetti adds 10.0 points on 14 treys.

Misericordia averages 56.9 points on offense while yielding 71.6 points on defense. Wilkes posted a comfortable 77-64 victory in the teams' earlier meeting this season in Dallas, Pa.

The Wilkes men enter the game with a 10-10 overall mark sitting in fourth place in the Freedom standings at 5-4 after falling 81-71 against Eastern on Wednesday.

Alec Wizar (Lebanon, PA/Annville Cleona) continues to lead the Colonels from the perimeter averaging 15.3 points and 3.2 rebounds canning 57 three-pointers on the year. Fellow sharpshooter Steve Stravinski (Pittston, PA/Pittston) follows with 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds. He also has hit a team-best 63 treys in 20 games. Zachary Brunner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) adds 11.2 points and 5.6 rebounds from his forward position.

Wilkes is averaging 72.3 points per-game while allowing 78.8 per contest.

The Misericordia men stand 15-5 overall and 7-2 in conference games tied for first place with both DeSales and Delaware Valley with five games left to play. The Cougars dropped a 67-63 decision to DeSales on Wednesday creating the three-way tie for first place in the Freedom.

Steve Ware leads the group averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 boards. Joe Busacca contributes 14.2 points and 2.7 assists while James Hawk adds 8.0 points and a team-high 36 blocks anchoring the middle of the Cougar defense.

Misericordia averages 66.1 points per-game while yielding 59.6 points per contest.

Misericordia edged out Wilkes 66-59 in the teams' meeting earlier this season in Dallas, Pa.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Cara Basile: G; 5' 9"; Junior

#33 Chelsea Brown: G/F; 5' 10"; Senior

#10 Elena Stambone: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#20 Steve Stravinski: G/F; 6' 3"; Junior

#11 Alec Wizar: G; 6' 0"; Junior

#33 Zach Brunner: F; 6' 4"; First Year

Players Mentioned

#11 Cara Basile
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

#33 Chelsea Brown
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G/F

#10 Elena Stambone
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#20 Steve Stravinski
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G/F

#11 Alec Wizar
: 6' 0"; Junior
: G

#33 Zach Brunner
: 6' 4"; First Year
: F