WILKES-BARRE – Tommy Bowen (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) scored a game-high 22 points to lead four Colonels in double figures as host Wilkes University advanced to the MAC Freedom Championship game after posting a 79-72 victory over Eastern University in the conference semifinals Thursday night at the Marts Center.
 
The win improved Wilkes' overall record to 18-8 and sends the Colonels to the championship game on Saturday where they will face top-seeded DeSales University. Eastern concluded its season at 15-11 overall following the postseason defeat.
 
The teams traded baskets throughout the first ten minutes of the opening half before Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) scored back-to-back buckets to push the Colonels ahead 23-15 with 10:02 on the clock. A three-pointer from Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) and layup by Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) extended the Colonel advantage to 28-15, the largest lead of the first half with 6:32 left.
 
Two possessions later a Bowen transition score forced Eastern into a timeout with Wilkes leading 30-18 with 5:43 left in the half.  The Eagles responded scoring the game's next seven points as Austin Duncan canned a three-pointer and William Blet scored twice at the free throw line to cap the rally cutting the deficit to 34-29 with 1:54 left in the half. Bowen answered for Wilkes drilling a corner trey but Eastern's Darius Washington was up to the task converting a deep three-pointer on the Eagles next possession to send the game to the half with Wilkes leading 37-32.
 
The Colonels push their lead to ten 48-38 early in the second half as scores from Bowen, Pecorelli and a three-pointer from Robinson capped off the rally. The hot shooting continued over the next four minutes as Zach Walser (Marcellus, NY/Bishop Ludden) dropped a long two and Pecorelli made good from long range to push the advantage to 65-50 with 9:38 left in the game.
 
Three minutes later the Colonel lead grew to the largest of the night, 71-55, when Bowen sprinted the floor and took a Landon Henry (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) pass where he scored and was fouled. A quick 7-0 run from the Eagles stopped the momentum cutting the deficit to nine at 71-62 with 5:22 remaining.
 
The run continued over the next two minutes as three straight scores from Michael Bowlers in the paint brought Eastern to within five trailing 73-68 with 3:27 on the second half clock.
 
Mullins ended the Eagles rally with a driving score on Wilkes' next possession, but Blet responded for Eastern grabbing an offensive rebound and put back to keep the score 75-70 with 2:35 left. After a Wilkes missed shot, Bowlers found Blet for an easy two in the paint as Eastern trailed 75-72 with 1:12 left forcing a Colonel timeout.
 
Eastern fouled on the ensuing possession and Robinson made one of two free throws to up the lead to 76-72. Bowlers was fouled on Eastern's next possession and missed on the front end of the one-and-one where Mullins pulled down the board leading to another Eagles forced foul. Connor Evans (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) sank one of two free throws as the lead grew to five at 77-72 with :25 left setting up the final Eastern possession.
 
From there Draig Ruff's three-pointer sailed off the rim and Pecorelli corralled the rebound closing out the game at the free throw line with two more makes sending Wilkes to its second MAC Freedom Championship game under head coach Izzi Metz.
 
Bowen finished 9-for-11 from the field on way to his 22 points. Pecorelli followed with 18 points and five rebounds while Mullins chipped in 16 points and four boards. Robinson was the final Colonel in double figures finishing with 10 points and five rebounds.
 
Wilkes shot 46.8 percent (29-62) from the field and 36.0 percent (9-25) from long range.

The Colonels now head to the MAC Freedom Tournament Championship, where it will take on No. 1 seed DeSales University after the Bulldogs defeated No. 4 Delaware Valley 62-50 on Thursday evening. The championship, Wilkes' first appearance since 2016, is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Saturday in Center Valley, Pa.