Wilkes Basketball Hosts Eastern on Saturday
WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's and women's basketball teams will welcome the Eastern Eagles to the Marts Center on Saturday afternoon for a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader.
The women tip-off at 1:00 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 3:00 p.m. Live links are provided below for fans who are unable to attend the contests.
Live Stats – (women)
Live Stats – (men)
Live Video
The women's team comes in 4-8 overall and 0-3 in the MAC Freedom after falling on the road to #22 DeSales, 86-46, on Wednesday night.
Wilkes is paced by senior Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) who leads the team with 11.3 points per game (ppg) and is fourth in the conference with 9.7 rebounds to go along with 2.8 assists (15th). Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) scores 9.8 ppg while running the point for the navy and gold with 2.9 dimes (13th) and a 1.1 assist to turnover ratio (T-10th). The junior also sits at second in the MAC Freedom with an 85.7 free throw percentage. The other double-digit scorer for the Colonels is sophomore Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) (10.0 ppg) who is second on the team in made three-pointers.
Wilkes is averaging 65.8 ppg while allowing 75.0 ppg.
Eastern is also looking for their first conference win of the season as they sit at 5-9 overall (0-3 MAC Freedom) after dropping Wednesday's contest to FDU-Florham 86-77.
The Eagles have three players inside the top 25 in conference scoring with Regie Robinson leading the MAC Freedom at 18.4 ppg. The senior averages a double-double for the maroon and white with 10.8 boards (first) while adding 1.8 steals (12th) and 1.1 blocks (third). Their other double-digit scorer is freshman Jaelyn Harris who sits at 19th in the MAC Freedom with 10.9 ppg while connecting on 33.3% of her three pointers (sixth). The group is rounded out by sophomore Viki Kneis who chips in 9.2 ppg (24th) and 5.9 rebounds (15th) while making 48% of her shots from the floor (seventh).
Eastern puts up 67.5 ppg while surrendering 69.6 ppg.
The men enter this matchup 10-4 overall and 2-1 in the MAC Freedom after dropping a high scoring affair at DeSales, 97-85, on Wednesday night.
The Wilkes offense is led by the trio of Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley), Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) and Tommy Bowen (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin), all of whom rank inside the conference's top eight in scoring.
Mullins' 16.4 ppg are good for fifth in the conference to go along with 7.0 rebounds (ninth) on 53.5% shooting from the floor (sixth) and 85.7% from the charity stripe (third). Robinson needs just one three-pointer to break the school record for career three-point field goals made. The senior does a little bit of everything for the navy and gold, averaging 15.8 points (seventh) and 4.3 boards (21st) while ranking second in both assists (4.2) and steals (1.9). Bowen is coming off a career-high 31 points that elevated him to eighth in the MAC Freedom in scoring (15.6 ppg) while pulling down 7.6 rebounds (T-5th) on 57.7% shooting (T-1st).
Wilkes is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 80.9 ppg while allowing 75.4 ppg.
Eastern comes in on a win after defeating FDU-Florham 89-79 on Wednesday evening to improve their record to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the MAC Freedom.
The Eagles offense is led by the three-headed attack of Darius Washington, Michael Bowlers and Austin Duncan, who all sit inside the top 12 in MAC Freedom scoring. Washington, a senior, is fourth in scoring with 17.5 points while registering 5.1 boards (16th), 2.5 helpers (T-14th) and 1.4 assists (T-10th). Bowlers scores 13.9 ppg (10th) and rips down 8.8 rebounds (T-4th) while sitting in a tie with Bowen for first in field goal percentage (57.7%). Senior guard Austin Duncan adds 13.6 ppg (12th) thanks to shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc (seventh).
Eastern trails averages 77.6 ppg while allowing the second most ppg in the MAC Freedom at 75.6.
