WILKES-BARRE – Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Wilkes University women's basketball team to an 83-78 MAC Freedom victory over visiting FDU-Florham Friday night at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes improved to 6-10 overall and 2-4 in MAC Freedom games following its second home conference win of the season. FDU-Florham dropped to 6-11 overall and 1-5 in league games. It marked the first win against the Devils since January 29, 2011 when Wilkes was a 63-59 winner at home.
 
Wilkes opened a seven point lead midway through the first quarter when Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) nailed a three pointer as the Colonels led 17-10 with 4:59. Back-to-back scores from Kelley pushed the advantage to 21-10 one minute later before an FDU-Florham three-pointer ended the rally and the quarter.
 
FDU-Florham opened the second quarter with a run to cut the Wilkes leads down to one as the Colonels remained ahead 26-25 following a Devil layup with 6:00 left in the half. A three-point play from Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) and a transition score from Kelley kept the Colonels up 32-29 with just under two minutes remaining. Wilkes finished scoring two of the final three baskets of the first half as Kelley and Giordano cashed in in the paint giving the Colonels a 36-31 advantage at the break.
 
Wilkes used an 11-0 run to open the third quarter to extend the lead to the largest of the game at 47-31 as Caster scored five straight points and Gabby Smicherko (Edwardsville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) dashed through the lane for two more. The teams traded baskets over the next six minutes of the quarter before two Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) free throws kept Wilkes ahead by ten 61-51 at the end of three.
 
FDU-Florham inched its way back throughout the first seven minutes of the final frame converting four Wilkes turnovers into points to cut the deficit to two 74-72 with 2:05 left in the game. Giordano added two free throws on the Colonels next possession and FDU-Florham answered right back with a score with 1:27 remaining to keep it a two-point game. Wilkes went back to Smicherko on its next possession and she scored in the paint to extend the lead back to four before two more FDU-Florham free throws kept the Devils within striking distance down 78-76 with 1:02 left in the game.
 
From there Giordano tried to ice the game from long range missing a long three-pointer, but Kelley was there for the offensive rebound. FDU-Florham was forced to foul and Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) knocked down both attempts after a Devils intentional foul gave the ball back to the Colonels with :13 left. Two more free throws from Caster sealed the win for Wilkes.
 
Kelley finished 12-for-19 from the field while adding six rebounds on her career-best night. Caster followed with 19 points and seven rebounds. Smicherko finished with 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Giordano filled the box score with 12 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
 
Kayla Croswell topped FDU-Florham with a game-high 28 points. Cayla Staggers and Raven Dowling each added 20 points while combining for nine rebounds and nine assists.
 
Wilkes returns to MAC Freedom play Wednesday hosting Delaware Valley University at 8:00 p.m. at the Marts Center.