Evans and Bowen Guide Wilkes Men's Basketball Past Messiah
GRANTHAM, Pa. – Connor Evans (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) and Tommy Bowen (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) posted identical 18-point, 10-rebound double-doubles to lead the Wilkes University men's basketball team to an 80-73 win over Messiah College in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon.
The Colonels improved to 10-3 with the victory.
Wilkes opened the scoring 36 seconds into the game on a Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) layup before the Falcons tied the score with two free-throws. Messiah continued on a 17-0 run over the next seven minutes before Evans hit a three-pointer to end the dry spell for the Colonel offense.
The Falcons remained out in front holding an 11-point lead with 6:37 until halftime at 28-17 before Wilkes finished the half on a 14-5 run to enter the break down 33-31.
The Colonels tied the game 39 seconds into the final half on a Clay Basalyga (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) layup from Evans before Messiah hit a three-pointer to retake the advantage.
Both teams exchanged leads over the following five minutes before a Jack Bova (Camillus, NY/West Genesee) three-pointer and two Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) layups helped Wilkes to a six-point advantage at 49-43 with 13:37 on the clock following a 7-0 run.
The Falcons cut the lead to two with consecutive layups of their own, but a Robinson three-pointer kick-started an 8-2 run that gave the Colonels a 57-49 lead at the 11:46 mark. Wilkes was able to push its advantage to 10 at 62-52 following an Evans layup with 9:53 on the clock.
Messiah fought back with a 17-8 run to trim the lead to one at 70-69 with just under six minutes remaining. After both teams exchanged layups, the Colonels finished the game on an 8-2 highlighted by three-pointers from Bova and Robinson to seal the win.
Evans added three steals to his double-double performance, his first since recording 25 points and 12 assists on November 26, 2016 against Marywood University. Robinson contributed 16 points, three rebounds, and five assists while Mullins finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Bova added nine points on three-of-six shooting from distance off the bench.
Colin Sareyka finished with a game-high 30 points and seven assists for the Falcons while EJ Porter added 17 points and four rebounds.
Wilkes shot a blistering 61 percent (19-31) in the second half, including 63 percent (10-16) from beyond the arc.
The Colonels return to action on Wednesday when they travel to DeSales University for a 6:00 p.m. Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) contest.
