ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mason Gross (Hughestown, PA/Pittston) converted a layup with six second on the clock to lead the Wilkes University men's basketball team to a 76-74 victory over No. 15 Hope College in the Consolation of the Mount Union Holiday Classic on Friday afternoon, the Colonels first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 25 Manhattanville 74-68 on January 8, 2011.

Wilkes improved to 6-5 with the victory.

Neither team was able to grab a large lead through the first four-plus minutes with the Colonels holding a 12-11 lead with 15:57 left in the half. Wilkes finished the half outscoring the Flying Dutch 34-19 to enter halftime with a 46-30 lead, hitting six three pointers in the process.

Hope cut the lead to six at 48-42 after starting the second half on a 23-8 run with 15:09 remaining, but the Colonels pushed the lead back to 14 after Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) scored eight straight points to make the score 56-42 with 13:48 on the clock.

The Flying Dutch chipped away over the next 11-plus minutes before ultimately tying the game at 71 with just under two and half minutes remaining. Robinson hit a three-pointer for a 74-71 lead before Harrison Blackledge converted one free throw and hit a layup after Robinson missed the front end of a one and one to tie the score at 74 with 1:12 left. Wilkes missed a layup with 51 seconds remaining before Blackledge pulled down the rebound and turned it over on the ensuing possession. With 26 second in the game the Colonels called a 30 second timeout, and with the shot clock turned off Wilkes had the opportunity to take the final shot. After the inbound, Connor Evans (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) found Gross in the paint allowing him to put the Colonels on top and send them home with a tournament split and a 76-74 victory.

Robinson led Wilkes with a game-high 28 points. Evans added 10 points and six assists while Clay Basalyga (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) totaled nine points, six assists, and four rebounds.

Blackledge led Hope with 27 points and four assists while Cody Stuive added 17 points.

The Colonels shot 57 percent (29-51) including 63 percent (12-19) from three-point range.

Robinson was named to the All-Tournament team for his efforts.

Wilkes returns to action on Wednesday when they host FDU-Florham in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) opener at the Marts Center at 8 p.m.