WILKES-BARRE – Four different Colonels reached double figures in a balanced offensive attack as the Wilkes University men's basketball team cruised to a 72-53 MAC Freedom victory over cross-town rival King's College Wednesday night in the Scandlon Gymnasium.
 
Wilkes closed out the first half of the MAC Freedom schedule with a 5-3 mark, improving to 10-7 overall following the road win. King's dropped to 6-10 overall and 1-7 in league contests.
 
The first half was close with neither team holding more than a five-point advantage until late when Wilkes used its defense converting King's turnovers into fast break points. Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) buried a three-pointer followed by a transition layup from Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) to put the Colonels up 32-26 with :36 left until the break. Two more free throws from Marshall closed out the half for Wilkes on a 7-0 run leading 33-26.
 
A 6-0 run to start the second half pushed the Wilkes advantage to 39-26 with 17:44 on the clock. Merrifield scored back-to-back buckets before Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) finished on the fast break thanks to a pass from Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) forcing a King's timeout.
 
The Wilkes lead stayed in double figures before Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give the Colonels their largest advantage of the game up 50-34 with 13:26 remaining.
 
King's would come no closer than 13 points over the final 13 minutes as three-pointers from Davidheiser and Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) kept the Colonel offense roaring as Wilkes shot 43.1 percent from the floor including eight treys.
 
Merrifield continued his strong play at point finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Marshall posted 14 points and nine rebounds while Davidheiser chipped in 14 points on 4-of-8 from deep. Lesko rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Chris Patton led all King's scoeres with 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting. The Wilkes defense held the Monarchs to just 31.7 percent shooting including 3-for-21 from behind the arc.
 
Wilkes will begin the second half of the MAC Freedom schedule next Wednesday when the Colonels travel to Williamsport, Pa. to face Lycoming at 6:00 p.m.