CARLISLE, Pa. – Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) hit two free throws with 2:43 left in the game to trim the deficit to three points at 58-55, but the Wilkes University men's basketball team was unable to complete the comeback in a 68-59 loss at Dickinson College on Saturday afternoon.

The Colonels fell to 5-4 with the defeat.

The Devils jumped out to the early advantage, leading 12-6 through the first 7:05. From there, Wilkes started a 13-4 run to take a 19-14 lead with 8:52 left in the half following a Pecorelli layup, but Dickinson finished the first half on a 19-11 run to enter the half with a 33-30 lead.

The Devils started the second half on a 10-4 run to take a 43-34 lead with 14:29 remaining in the game. The Colonels cut the lead back down to three following a 21-15 run over the next 12+ minutes capped by the Pecorelli free throws, but Dickinson went 8-for-8 in free throws in the final minute-plus to seal the game.

Wilkes was led by Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional), who finished with 13 points. Connor Evans (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) added nine points and three assists while Johnny Bamford (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) contributed nine points off the bench.

Moses Romocki and Justus Melton led the Devils with a game-high 14 points each with Romocki adding nine rebounds. Bryce Allen finished with 12 points off the bench to round out the double-digit scorers.

The Colonels return to action on Thursday, December 29^th when they travel to Alliance, Ohio to take on Mount Union in the Mount Union Holliday Classic at 7 p.m.