CENTER VALLEY, PA – Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) poured in a team-high 18 points including five three-pointers to lead four players in double figures as visiting Wilkes University took back sole possession of first place in the MAC Freedom posting a 72-67 win over DeSales University Wednesday night at Billera Hall.
 
Wilkes improved to 16-6 overall and 9-2 in league games sweeping the season series against the Bulldogs. DeSales dropped to 17-5 overall and 8-3 in conference contests.
 
Wilkes jumped out the gates early with two three-pointers from Robinson sandwiched between scores from Zach Brunner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) and Connor Evans (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) to take a 14-4 lead with 17:18 on the first half clock. Back-to-back three-pointers from Connor Jones capped off an 18-4 run for DeSales over the next eight plus minutes as the Bulldogs took a 22-18 lead with 8:26 left in the half.
 
The Colonels clawed back with scores from Evans, Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) and Mason Gross (Pittston, PA/Pittston) to move within one, 27-26, with 5:15 remaining in the opening frame. Wilkes made the comeback complete in the final minute as Evans nailed a three-pointer and Pecorelli drove left baseline to the hoop for a layup to put the Colonels ahead 34-33 at the halftime break.
 
The teams traded baskets to start the second half before seven quick points from Jones including a trey and layup that put DeSales ahead 46-43 with 15:30 left in the game. Again the Colonels used timely stops and some hot shooting from Robinson who accounted for four straight points including his third three-pointer of the game to put Wilkes up 51-47 three minutes later. Robinson rang the bell one more time just two possessions later drilling his fourth trey of the game keeping Wilkes ahead 54-49 and forcing a DeSales timeout.
 
Pecorelli continued the three-point barrage hitting a trey from the top of the circle to give the Colonels its largest lead of the second half 60-51 with just over eight minutes remaining. The Bulldogs responded with 9-2 run to close the gap to two as Wilkes led 62-60 three minutes later. Robinson remained deadly from deep hitting his fifth three and pushing the advantage to five two possessions later after two DeSales free throws. The Bulldogs came up empty on back-to-back possessions missing two layups and Robinson made the hosts pay on the other end connecting on a 15-footer from the top of the floor to give Wilkes a 69-64 lead with 1:36 left in the game.
 
DeSales was forced to foul on the final three Wilkes possessions and the Colonels iced the win going 5-for-6 from the foul line to preserve the league victory.
 
Robinson was an efficient 6-for-9 from the floor and 5-of-8 from long range adding six rebounds. Pecorelli also scored 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting including a 6-of-9 mark from the charity stripe. Evans (12 points) and Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) (10 points) rounded out the double figure scoring for Wilkes.
 
Wilkes returns home Saturday hosting Misericordia University in another crucial MAC Freedom matchup at 3:00 p.m. at the Marts Center