WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's basketball team entered the second half of their conference slate with a showdown against the conference leading Eastern University Eagles.  The Colonels looked to avenge a 67-62 loss at Eastern earlier in conference play.
 
The Colonels (9-10, 2-6 MACF) fell in a tough overtime game 73-71 to the Eagles (12-7, 7-1).  Both teams had four players score in the double-digits.
 
The Eagles clawed out an early 11-6 lead, but otherwise the two teams never had more than a three-point lead over the other until the last four minutes of the first period.  An 8-0 run gave the Eagles a 25-18 lead with 3:22 left in the period.  The Colonels answered back with an 8-3 stretch to finish out the half and enter the locker room down 28-26.
 
The Colonels started out the second half firing on all cylinders.  A pair of threes, one each from senior guard Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) and sophomore guard Donovan Breeding (Manassas, VA/Osbourn), coupled with a trio of layups from senior guard Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) gave the Colonels a 44-35 advantage with 13:29 left to play.  The Eagles used the next seven minutes to claw the Wilkes lead down to 56-55 thanks to good defense and three threes.  The next five minutes saw the two teams battle to a 64-64 stalemate, and neither squad managed to break the ice before overtime.
 
The Eagles started overtime with a 5-0 run and the Colonels struggled to find baskets.  The Eagles would lead for the rest of the period on their way to a 73-71 victory.
 
Pecorelli lead the way with 25 points for the Colonels.  Junior forward Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) had eight rebounds to lead the Colonels.  Four Colonels would foul out on the evening, and the Colonels shot 14-of-16 from the free throw stripe while the Eagles would shoot 21-of-37 from the line.  Sophomore guard Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) posted his third straight double-digit scoring game, posting 10 points for the Colonels. 
 
The Colonels hit the road for a pair of conference game next week.  They first head out to Hoboken, N.J. for a rematch with the Stevens Ducks at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.  The Colonels won an exciting one earlier in the season at the Marts Center 58-55.