GLENSIDE, PA – The Wilkes University men's basketball team trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half before trimming the lead down to four with 56 seconds remaining before eventually having its comeback fall short as Arcadia University held on for an 86-79 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory at Alumni Gymnasium Friday night.

Junior guard Sean Coller (Hershey, PA/Hershey) led the Colonels with 16 points while junior guard Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) registered his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

With the loss Wilkes dropped to 0-3 on the season and in the conference while Arcadia improved to 3-0.

Freshman forward Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) and Coller scored the opening buckets of the game to put the Colonels ahead 4-0. The Knights responded with a 15-4 run over a four minute span to take a 15-8 lead with 14:14 left in the first half. By the 9:38 mark Arcadia had built its largest first-half lead with the score at 27-15 in favor of the home side.

Wilkes began to chip away at the lead with a layup from senior forward Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) bringing the visitors within five points with 5:29 left in the half. Coller followed with a three and another Heiserman layup tied the game at 33. Senior guard Landon Henry (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) then put the Colonels ahead 36-35 with a three-pointer with 2:48 on the clock. After Arcadia regained the lead with a three from Gabe Kier, sophomore guard Nickerson DeMelfi (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) knocked down his own shot from range to put Wilkes back ahead 39-38. Arcadia then scored the final three points of the half on a layup and a free throw to lead 41-39 at the break.

Arcadia extended its run to 14-0 as it began the second half with the first 11 points to lead 52-39. The Knights still led by 13 with the score at 59-46 with 13:03 on the clock.

A 7-0 spurt by Wilkes capped off by a DeMelfi three cut the lead down to six points with 10:41 left. After the margin went back to 10, the Colonels answered with another 7-0 run on a three from freshman guard Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA /Exeter Township) and two free throws and a layup from junior guard Donovan Breeding (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) to make the score 63-60 with 8:20 left.

Jalen Watkins' layup extended the Knights lead back to 11 with 2:08 remaining but the Colonels had one more charge in them. Marshall hit a three followed by a fast break layup from Davidheiser. Marshall then hit the backend of two free throws to make the score 80-75. Justin Money then made one of two free throws and Breeding followed with a layup to make it 81-77 with 56 seconds left.

Arcadia would make 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to close out the game with an 86-79 victory.

Breeding finished with 14 points and a career high nine rebounds. DeMelfi finished as the fourth Colonel in double figures with 11 points as he was 3-for-3 from three-point range. Fisher recorded 11 rebounds and four assists.

Money led Arcadia with 19 points while Da'Kquan Davis added 17. Watkins finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds while Kier had 11 points for the victors.

The two teams will close out their MAC Freedom doubleheader at the Marts Center on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.