SCRANTON, PA – With the score tied at 79, Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) drilled the game-winning three-pointer with :45 remaining then sank two free throws to seal the Wilkes University men's basketball team's 84-81 non-conference road victory over Marywood University Tuesday night at the Insalaco Arena.
 
The Colonels improved to 3-3 overall following the win while Marywood dropped to 2-3 overall on the season after the home defeat.
 
Leading by one at the break, Wilkes used a 10-0 run to start the season half to open a 49-38 advantage with 16:39 left in the game. Marywood stopped the run and began to chip away at the lead cutting the deficit to four, but an inside bucket from Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge), three-point play from Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) and three-pointer from Merrifield pushed the Wilkes lead back to 12 with the Colonels leading 57-45 with 13:48 on the clock.
 
Fisher scored in transition and Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) added two free throws before a three-pointer from Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) gave the Colonels a 68-55 advantage with 8:47 remaining in the second half. Marywood used the long ball to keep the game close, but another bucket from Argento and back-to-back scores from Marshall gave the Colonels their largest lead of the contest up 77-61 with just 5:11 left to play.
 
The Pacers, who connected on a season-high 19 three-pointers in the game, used five treys and an inside score to come all the way back over the next four minutes tying the game at 79 with 1:10 remaining.
 
From there it was Merrifield's heroics as the sophomore drilled a three-pointer from the corner to put the Colonels ahead by one with :45 on the clock. Marywood was fouled on its ensuing possession and made both free throws and then was forced to foul to continue the game. Argento was fouled but missed the first free throw of a one-and-one only to grab the rebound and pass to Merrifield who was fouled. Merrifield missed his free toss and Marywood collected the rebound with a chance to win. The Pacers shot fell off the mark and Merrifield was fouled again with :02 remaining. Merrifield calmly sank both shots from the line to extend the lead to three. Marywood had one last shot to tie the game when the inbound pass reached the scoring end, but Fisher blocked the tying three-point attempt to seal the hard-fought road win for the Colonels.
 
The first half was evenly played as neither team enjoyed more than a five point lead throughout. Scores from Marshall and Fisher on back-to-back possessions to end the half put the Colonels ahead by one 39-38 setting up the second half surge for Wilkes.
 
Fisher led five Colonels in double figures finishing with 21 points and six rebounds. Marshall followed with 17 points, five board and five assists while Zvorsky chipped in a season-best 15 points and ten rebounds, his first double-double of the year. Merrifield and Argento rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points each.
 
Wilkes dominated the paint scoring 50 of its 84 points inside. The Colonels also scored in transition throughout pushing the pace with 19 points on the run.
 
Marywood relied on the long ball for most of its offense finishing 19-for-45 from three-points range. Trevor Seitz topped all Pacers with a game-high 28 points on 8-for-15 shooting from three-point range. Jason Holman followed with 15 points.
 
Wilkes remains idle through the Thanksgiving break before starting MAC Freedom play on Wednesday, November 30 hosting Lycoming College at 6:00 p.m. at the Marts Center.