WILKES-BARRE – Four local colleges representing Luzerne and Lackawanna counties will square off on the hardwood when the sixth annual Cross County Challenge takes place Saturday and Sunday in the Marts Center on the campus of Wilkes University.
 
Six years ago the event began as an opportunity to showcase four area schools with King's and Wilkes from Luzerne County squaring off against Lackawanna County's Scranton and Marywood. 
 
Saturday at 1:00 p.m. King's and Scranton will tip-off the competition while Wilkes and Marywood square off immediately following at 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, King's and Marywood will play at 1:00 p.m. before Wilkes and Scranton meet in the final game of the event at 3:00 p.m.
 
Live stats and live video will be available for all four games at the links below. Wilkes will also have a radio broadcast available for its two contests.
 
Live Stats / Live Video / Live Audio (Wilkes games only)
 
Scranton has yet to lose in the challenge posting a perfect 10-0 record. Marywood owns a 4-6 mark over the five-year span, while Wilkes and King's both are 3-7 against the Lackawanna schools.
 
Wilkes enters the tournament with a 3-1 record after posting a 63-52 victory at home over Elizabethtown College on Tuesday night. Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) is off to a great start to his sophomore campaign averaging a team-high 18.3 points shooting over 54.9 percent (28-51) from the field and 47.2 percent (17-36) from behind the arc. Connor Evans (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) follows with 14.5 points and 2.3 assists while Tommy Bowen (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) has emerged as a force on the wing for the Colonels chipping in 10.3 points and 5.0 rebounds.
 
The Colonels are averaging 78.5 points per-game while allowing just 63.5 points per-contest.
 
King's comes into the weekend tournament with a 3-1 overall record with its lone loss coming at No. 25 Susquehanna University on November 19. King's posted a 99-80 victory over Drew University in its last action on Tuesday night. The Monarchs feature four players who averaging double figures in scoring led by Dan Rutecki's 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. Connor Callejas follows with 12.8 points hitting on 57.8 percent (11-19) of his three-point attempts this season. Jake Barber and John Fazzini contribute 11.3 points and 11.0 points respectively to round out the Monarch scorers.
 
King's is averaging 81.5 points per-game while yielding 71.5 points per-contest.
 
Scranton owns a perfect 3-0 mark heading into the tournament following a 76-75 win over Cabrini College on Tuesday night. Scranton has yet to play on the road this season with all three victories coming in the friendly confines of the John Long Center. Ethan Danzig paces the Royals averaging a team-best 19.3 points including a 12-for-22 performance from behind the arc (54.5 percent). John Vitkus follows with 15.0 points and 11.3 rebounds anchoring the middle of the Royals defense. Kevin Doolan posts 11.3 points and 7.0 assists.
 
Scranton averages 78.7 points per-game while giving up 61.0 points per-contest.
 
Marywood is the lone team winless entering the tournament owning a 0-3 record on the young season. The Pacers dropped their first CSAC game at Gwynedd Mercy 78-64 on Tuesday night. Five players are averaging double figures in scoring led by Connor Shroyer's 20.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. Jeremy Ringland follows with 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds while James Curly adds 11.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. Tip Swartz and Dexter Shy each contribute 10.3 points through the Pacers first three contests.
 
Marywood is averaging 72.3 points per-game while allowing 80.3 points per-game.
 
 
All-Time Cross County Challenge Results
 
Scranton (10-0)
 
2011-12
Scranton 71 - Wilkes 53
Scranton 62 - King's 47
 
2012-13
Scranton 81 - King's 66
Scranton 71 - Wilkes 68
 
2013-14
Scranton 87 - King's 83
Scranton 83 - Wilkes 68
 
2014-15
Scranton 86 - King's 83 (ot)
Scranton 75 - Wilkes 73
 
2015-16
Scranton 70 - King's 58
Scranton 60 - Wilkes 50
 
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King's (3-7)
 
2011-12
King's 81 - Marywood 53
King's 47 - Scranton 62
 
2012-13
 
King's 66 - Scranton 81
King's 83 - Marywood 47
 
2013-14
King's 83 - Scranton 87
King's 68 - Marywood 77
 
2014-15
King's 83 - Scranton 86 (ot)
King's 53 - Marywood 68
 
2015-16
King's 58 - Scranton 70
King's 84 - Marywood 69
 
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Wilkes (3-7)
 
2011-12
Wilkes 53 - Scranton 71
Wilkes 89 - Marywood 70
 
2012-13
Wilkes 66 - Marywood 48
Wilkes 68 - Scranton 71
 
2013-14
Wilkes 60 - Marywood 61
Wilkes 68 - Scranton 83
 
2014-15
Wilkes 58 - Marywood 64
Wilkes 73 - Scranton 75
 
2015-16
Wilkes 82 - Marywood 69
Wilkes 50 - Scranton 60
 
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Marywood (4-6)
 
2011-12
Marywood 53 - King's 81
Marywood 70 - Wilkes 89
 
2012-13
Marywood 48 -Wilkes 66
Marywood 47 - King's 83
 
2013-14
Marywood 61 - Wilkes 60
Marywood 77 - King's 68
 
2014-15
Marywood 64 - Wilkes 58
Marywood 68 - King's 53
 
2015-16
Marywood 69 - Wilkes 82
Marywood 69 - King's 84