NEW BRITAIN, PA – First-year forward Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) scored a career-best 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help lead the Wilkes University men's basketball team to a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) road win over Delaware Valley University by a 59-53 score on Friday night at James Work Gymnasium.

The victory avenged a home loss for the Colonels the night before to the Aggies. Wilkes improved to 4-4 overall and finished their conference regular season with a 2-4 record. DelVal dropped to 2-5 overall and fell to 1-3 in the MAC Freedom.

Fisher scored nine of the Colonels first 10 points in the game as Wilkes led 10-7 following a Fisher layup 3:05 into the game. A layup by senior forward Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) gave Wilkes a 17-12 lead with 11:23 left in the first half but the Aggies would close the half on a 15-6 run to hold a 27-23 advantage at the break.

After falling behind by seven early in the second half the Colonels began the climb back. Wilkes took a 35-32 lead at the 12:28 mark after a jumper by junior guard Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot), layups by Fisher and first-year guard Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley), and a free-throw by Fisher culminated in a 7-0 run.

DelVal would answer back with an 11-4 run to go ahead 43-39 with 8:52 left. Marshall stopped the run with a make from distance and Fisher added two free-throws to give Wilkes the lead back. A Ryan Black three put the Aggies back ahead before senior guard Landon Henry (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) tied the game at 46 with two from the charity stripe. First-year guard Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA /Exeter Township) then connected on a trey to put the Colonels ahead to stay at 49-46 with 6:24 remaining.

DelVal would cut the lead to one point at 50-49 but two free-throws each by junior guard Sean Coller (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and Fisher followed by a Davidheiser layup restored the advantage to 56-49 lead with 1:50 on the clock. A Pernell Ghee layup made it a one possession game with 45 seconds left but Wilkes was able to grab rebounds on three missed DelVal shots in the closing moments and hit on 3-of-4 free-throws to seal the 59-53 victory.

Fisher scored his 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 6-for-8 at the line. Marshall added 13 points for the Colonels. Coller finished with a career-high 10 rebounds as Wilkes won the battle on the boards 41-30.

Ghee led Delaware Valley with 14 points and five blocks while Matt Paulus added 11 points.

The Colonels will close out the regular season with a non-conference road contest at Alvernia University on Monday at 7:00 p.m.