Wilkes Basketball Hosts Misericordia on Wednesday to Begin MAC Freedom Play
WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's and women's basketball teams will welcome Misericordia to the Marts Center on Wednesday night for each team's 2018-19 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) opener.
The men will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. with the women to follow at 8:00 p.m. as the conference schedule has the men playing the earlier game on weekday nights for the first half of the season. Live links are provided below for fans who are unable to attend the contests.
Live Stats – (men)
Live Stats – (women)
Live Video
The men's team enters their conference opener with a 5-1 overall record after defeating Lebanon Valley in the Rinso Marquette Tournament championship on 11/17 and cruising past Clarks Summit 105-66 last Saturday afternoon.
Wilkes is led by the trio of Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley), Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) and Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), all of whom are averaging double-digit points per game (ppg).
Mullins is averaging 19.3 points and 8.0 rebounds this season on 56 percent shooting from the floor, including 63 percent from three-point range. The junior currently ranks fourth in the MAC Freedom in field goal and free throw percentage, sixth in scoring and eighth in rebounding. Pecorelli, another junior, is always a threat for the Colonels averaging 18.2 points (ninth), 5.8 boards and 3.2 assists while shooting 42 percent from the floor. Robinson, a senior, rounds out the trio averaging 16.8 points (16th), 4.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists while ranking fifth in the conference in three-point percentage (34%).
Wilkes is averaging 84.8 ppg while holding the opposition to 68.7 ppg.
Misericordia enters this game 4-2 after having their three-game winning streak snapped by Neumann in a 65-63 loss on Monday evening.
The Cougars are led by senior Jason Kenny who is averaging 23.0 points (first), 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals (third) while shooting 49 percent from the field (tenth). Complementing Kenny is a pair of juniors in Noah Rivera and Tony Harding who are averaging 12.8 ppg and 12.2 ppg respectively. Rivera is second in the MAC Freedom in rebounds (9.8) while Harding sits atop the conference in assist to turnover ratio (3.5).
Misericordia is averaging 79.0 ppg with opponents scoring 74.2 ppg.
The women's squad comes into this matchup with a 3-5 overall record after defeating Penn State Harrisburg 67-64 on Saturday afternoon.
The Colonels are led by senior Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) who is averaging a double-double with 12.5 ppg (14th) and 11.0 rebounds (first) to go along with 3.1 assists (10th). Closely trailing Giordano in points is junior Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) with 12.0 ppg in addition to her 3.5 assists (sixth) and a 1.6 assist to turnover ratio (fourth) while leading the conference in free throw percentage (87%). The other two double-digit scorers for the Colonels are sophomore Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) (11.4 ppg) and senior Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) (10.5 ppg).
Wilkes is averaging 72.0 ppg while allowing 75.3 ppg.
Misericordia enters Wednesday's game undefeated at 7-0 after defeating Salve Regina (70-56) and Mount Aloysius College (92-44) to win the Sisters of Mercy Tournament (11/24-11/25).
The Cougars are led by a pair of seniors in Rachel Carmody and Japriya Carroll. Carmody is averaging 15.1 ppg and 10.0 rebounds (fifth) while ranking fifth in field goal percentage (51%). Carroll also scores 15.0 ppg and leads the MAC Freedom in three-point percentage (49%). Sophomore Tessa Zamolyi should not be overlooked with her 13.1 ppg and 6.3 rebounds while ranking fifth in free throw percentage (78%).
The Cougars are scoring 74.3 ppg while holding their opponents to just 47.9 ppg.
