WILKES-BARRE – First year Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) scored a career high 30 points but the Wilkes University men's basketball team could not overcome a hot shooting night by visiting Misericordia University in an 83-77 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) loss at the Marts Center Wednesday night.

Wilkes dropped to 8-7 overall and to 3-3 in the conference with the home loss. Misericordia improved to 8-6 overall and 3-3 in the MAC Freedom with the road win.

The Colonels scored the first points of the game on their third possession as Lesko hit an open jumper from the foul line. The Cougars went ahead for the first time on a three-point play by Nate Kreitzer to make the score 5-4 and kick start a 6-0 run. Wilkes went back ahead 9-8 following a three by Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), the reigning MAC Freedom Player of the Week, and a fade away jumper at the baseline by Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot). Misericordia called the first timeout of the game leading 10-9 with 12:11 left in the first half.

Zachary Gula (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) hit from deep for the Colonels to make the score 15-12 after the Cougars had gone ahead by six. Lesko answered a Misericordia three with one of his own but the Cougars hit another on the next trip up the floor as Wilkes called a timeout trailing 26-19 with 7:04 left in the half.

Misericordia closed the half from there on an 11-4 run to lead by 14 at 37-23. Lesko led Wilkes with seven points in the first half while Merrifield followed with five.

The Colonels came out hot on their first three possessions of the second half as Lesko made a driving layup and Marshall and Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) followed with three pointers to cut the lead to nine at 40-31 and force a Misericordia timeout. Lesko again cut the lead to nine with a three off a nice feed from Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) as the defense collapsed on his drive with 16:13 left in the second half. Lesko then converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make it 45-39 as he drove and scored with contact. Misericordia scored the next five points to bring its lead back to 11 points as Wilkes called a timeout with 12:30 left.

Gula made the next basket as he backed his man down into the paint to score down low. Following two free throws by the Cougars Zavorsky made a cut to the basket where he received a pass, made the layup, and was fouled. He made the free throw to make the score 52-44.  The visitors again extended their lead into double figures before a Gula three brought it back to eight points at 58-50. Two Lesko free throws brought it back to a six-point game for the second time in the second half with 6:57 remaining.

The two sides traded big baskets as Joseph Baldachino made two threes and Merrifield had answers with a drive and three of his own as the score stood 66-59 with just over five minutes left. Misericordia extended the lead back to 12 points before a four-point play by Lesko made it 73-65 with 2:13 left. Another Lesko deep ball pulled Wilkes within six at 74-68 with 1:45 on the clock.

Misericordia closed out the game from there with the final score being 83-77.

Lesko finished with a career high 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the floor and 5-for-8 from three. Merrifield and Gula had 12 points, Marshall 11 and Zvorsky 10 for the Colonels. Zvorsky led with seven rebounds while Merrifield and Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) had three assists.

Baldachino led Misericordia with 27 points as Kevin Lazdowsky added 16 in the winning effort.

Wilkes shot 41.8% from the floor (28-for-67) and 32.4% from three (11-for-34). The Colonels were 10-for-14 from the line. Misericordia shot a hot 56.1% from the field (23-for-41) and were 55.0% from three (11-for-20). The Cougars were 78.8% at the line (26-for-33). Misericordia had 15 turnovers compared to 10 for Wilkes and each team grabbed 32 rebounds.

The Colonels remain home in MAC Freedom play hosting Delaware Valley University Saturday at the Marts Center with tip scheduled for 3:00 p.m.