LA PLUME, PA – The Wilkes University women's basketball team opened the 2022-23 season with a 76-52 victory at Keystone College Tuesday night behind 23 points from first year Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) and 18 points from senior Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona).

The Colonels controlled play in the first and third quarters, combining for a 48-20 score in those two frames.

Horton, opened the game with a three-pointer, to put Wilkes ahead on its first possession. A Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) three and another from behind the arc by Matos made the score 11-3 with 4:52 left in the first quarter. A layup by Matos with 1:12 on the clock put the Colonels ahead by 15 at 21-6 and a Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) layup kept the Colonels 15-point lead at the end of the first 10 minutes as they led 23-8.

The Colonels lead went to as many as 21 at 31-8 following a Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) layup but the Giants closed the gap the remainder of the second quarter making it 36-27 at halftime with a 19-5 run.

Horton nailed a three with 6:03 left in the third quarter to put Wilkes back up 12 at 45-33. That basket started a 13-0 run for Wilkes that saw six points from Matos and another Horton three as the Colonels led 55-33. A Smith layup put Wilkes ahead by 24 at 61-37 with 28 seconds left in the third as the visitors led 61-39 at the end of the quarter.

The Wilkes lead went to a game-high 30 at 69-39 on a Matos layup with 8:21 left in the fourth and the Colonels never let Keystone make a run from there to take the 24-point win 76-52.

Matos starred in her debut with 23 points in 19 minutes off the bench on 8-of-16 shooting and also tied for the team lead with six rebounds and led the team with six steals. Horton had a career high 18 points as she hit 6-of-7 threes to tie for the third most threes in a game in program history.

Marino led the Colonels with six assists and added four steals and nine points. Babcock had five points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds. Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) had three points and five rebounds. Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) scored five points in her collegiate debut.

Riley Berry led Keystone with 17 points while Kwashanti Holmes added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Wilkes led 27-12 in points off turnovers, 39-9 in bench points, 16-6 in second chance points, and 32-12 in points in the paint. The Colonels had 22 steals to 13 for the Giants and the two sides each had 38 rebounds. Wilkes shot 40.3% from the field and Keystone shot 35.9%.

The Colonels are off until Thursday, November 17 for their home opener against Gwynedd Mercy University at the Marts Center with tip off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.