WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's basketball team earned a 61-50 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory over visiting Delaware Valley University by closing the game with a 16-8 fourth quarter score on Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.

Wilkes snapped a six-game losing streak to improve to 3-4 in the conference and 4-12 overall. Delaware Valley dropped to 8-8 overall and to 4-3 in the league with the loss.

Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) started the scoring with two free throws 1:44 into the game. Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) hit a jumper to make it 4-2 and following the Aggies first basket, Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) hit a three to put Wilkes ahead 7-2. Over the next five minutes DelVal went on an 8-5 run to as the score stood 12-10 Colonels with 2:30 left in the first quarter. Babcock then made a bucket in the paint to bring her first quarter scoring total to seven points. The Aggies made five free throws down the stretch to take a 15-14 lead before Smith hit two free throws to put Wilkes back ahead 16-15 as the first quarter came to a close.

Ariel Reed (Woodbury, PA/Northern Bedford) kept the Colonels ahead with a conversion down low and Jordyn Jennings (York, PA/Northeastern) hit a corner three as Wilkes went ahead 21-16 two minutes into the second quarter. Horton then drilled a three from the top of the arc off a feed from Babcock to force an Aggies timeout with the Colonels leading by eight. Following five straight points by DelVal, Babcock drove to the basket for a score as Wilkes led 26-21 midway through the quarter.

Victoria Crooker (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) scored on her first offensive touch following a Colonels timeout as the lead still stood at five. Following a Sophie Chevres three, Crooker answered with a short jumper from inside the foul line. One free throw by Delaware Valley was the only point in the final three minutes as Wilkes led 30-27 at halftime.

Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) scored on a driving layup after the Aggies closed the lead to one at the start of the third quarter. Two layups by Taylor Richardson put DelVal ahead 33-32 but Horton answered with a jumper to put the Colonels back ahead. DelVal went ahead by four before a Smith basket and Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) steal and layup on the fastbreak tied the game at 39-39 with 1:27 left in the third. A Marino steal in the backcourt and layup put Wilkes up 43-41. Following one free throw by the Aggies Matos made a driving layup as the quarter clock came to a close to put the Colonels ahead 45-42 heading to the fourth.

Shober scored the first points of the fourth on an open layup off a nice feed from Horton. Sober then scored on a hook shot in the paint to keep the Colonels ahead by five with 6:19 left. Horton connected on a jumper from the right wing with 2:38 left to put Wilkes up 54-48. Smith followed with two free throws on the next possession. Marino made two from the line with 1:03 left to gain the first double digit lead of the day at 58-48. Horton made two more free throws and Marino one-of-two as Wilkes closed out the victory 61-50.

Horton led Wilkes with 11 points while Babcock scored 10. Smith and Matos both chipped in with nine points as the Colonels had nine different players score. Sober and Reed led Wilkes with four rebounds, Babcock had four assists and Horton five steals.

Alexis Wright led Delaware Valley with a big game of 21 points and 25 rebounds. Chevres had nine assists for the Aggies.

Wilkes was 20-for-57 from the field (35.1%) and 3-for-12 from three (25.0%). The Colonels went 18-for-23 from the line (78.3%). DelVal was 19-for-50 from the field (38.0%), 3-for-12 from three (25.0%), and 9-for-20 at the line (45.0%). The Aggies turned the ball over 33 times with the Colonels having 16 steals. Wilkes only turned the ball over 14 times. The Aggies outrebounded the Colonels 49-25.

The Colonels close out the first half of the MAC Freedom schedule with a road matchup at cross-town rival King's College on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.