HOBOKEN, NJ – Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) scored 30 points for the Wilkes University men's basketball team but a late push by host Stevens Institute of Technology led to an 82-72 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory for the Ducks inside Canavan Arena Wednesday night.

Wilkes dropped to 2-7 in MAC Freedom play and 9-11 overall with the loss in a game that featured six ties and nine lead changes. Stevens improved to 7-2 in the league and 16-4 overall after evening the season series with the Colonels.

A Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) three-pointer gave the Colonels a 10-7 lead 4:02 into the game. The lead swung back-and-forth until a quick 6-0 spurt on a threes by Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) and Pecorelli gave Wilkes a 22-17 lead with 10:03 left in the first half.

Another three and a three-point play conversion after a layup and foul by Pecorelli pushed the Colonels lead to nine points at 28-19 with 8:02 on the clock. Marshall's second make from distance gave Wilkes a double-digit lead at 31-21.

Wilkes still led by 10 at 33-23 with 5:42 left in the first half before the Ducks made a push in the form of a 22-6 run to take a 45-39 lead into the locker room.

A quick 10-0 run by the Colonels out of the break put the lead back in the hands of the visitors as Marshall made good on a jumper, Pecorelli completed another three-point play inside, Nickerson DeMelfi (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) hit from behind the arc, and Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) connected with a jumper. The Wilkes lead stood at 49-45 with 15:52 left in the second half.

Following a three-pointer the Ducks cut the lead to one but back-to-back buckets from Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) made the score 57-52 with 9:59 remaining. Stevens then made good on two three-pointers to grab the lead back.

Pecorelli would connect again from beyond the arc to cut the Ducks lead to 62-61 with 5:45 left but a 14-4 run gave Stevens its first double-digit lead at 76-65 with 2:12 showing on the clock. A Pecorelli jumper with 37 ticks left pulled Wilkes within six but that is as close as the Colonels could close in the final moments as Stevens went 4-for-6 from the foul line to close out the win.

For Pecorelli it was the third time this season he has reached at least 30 points in a game. Mullins added 13 points and a team-high four assists. Marshall finished with 11 points for his fourth consecutive game in double figures and had six rebounds and three steals. Robel chipped in eight points and a team-high nine rebounds while Heiserman tied his career-high with three blocks.

Spencer Cook led the way for the Ducks with 23 points on 6-of-7 shooting from three. Alec DiPietrantino scored 18 points and had nine rebounds. Kevin Florio and JoJo Mosca each finished with 11 points including three three-pointers each.

Wilkes remains on the road for a MAC Freedom game at DeSales on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated the Colonels 79-74 at the Marts Center on January 15th.