CENTER VALLEY, PA – The Wilkes University men's basketball team opened the long-awaited 2020-21 season Thursday night with a 99-55 loss to DeSales University in Billera Hall. The two sides will continue their Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) home-and-home series Friday night at the Marts Center.

Freshman Zachary Gula (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) was sharp during his debut for the Colonels as he led the offense with 15 points. He was 6-for-10 from the floor including 3-for-6 from three-point range.

Gula's first career points came on a three that put Wilkes ahead 5-4 at the 16:53 mark the first half. A Donovan Breeding (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) layup put the Colonels back out front, 7-6, at the 16:07 mark. The Bulldogs then put together a 25-5 run over the next 11 minutes to lead 31-12 with 4:40 on the first half clock and DeSales took a 22-point lead into the break at 44-22.

The Colonels needed an early run in the second half but it never formulated as they still trailed 54-27 following a Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) three-pointer with 16:24 remaining. DeSales slowly stretched its margin throughout the rest of the contest, leading 76-40 midway through the second half on its way to the 99-55 final.

Marshall joined Gula in double figures for the Colonels as the junior guard scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA /Exeter Township) (six points) and Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) (five points) contributed for Wilkes in their collegiate debuts.

Twenty three turnovers plagued the Colonels throughout. DeSales shot 58.5 percent from the floor on the night and were led by 31 points from Timmy Edwards. Keba Mitchell (11), Darnell Vaughan Jr. (11), and Dat Lambert (10) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. Ryan Boylan led all rebounders with seven.

The two teams will close out their season opening series Friday as the action shifts to the Marts Center with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.