WILKES-BARRE, PA – Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) scored a career high 13 points but the Wilkes University women's basketball team fell 64-43 at cross-town rival King's College in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action Wednesday night at Scandlon Gym.

With the road loss Wilkes fell to 3-5 in the conference at the halfway point of the league slate. The Colonels are now 4-13 overall. King's improved to 3-5 in the MAC Freedom and are also 4-13 overall this season after the win.

The Monarchs led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter and 19-11 at the end of the first 10 minutes. Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) led the Colonels with four points in the first quarter.

King's built a 14-point lead midway through the second quarter before Wilkes finished the quarter strong. An Askins three made it 29-18 and she followed with another to make the score 31-21. Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) then converted a layup with the foul and made the free throw to make it 31-24. Askins hit her third three of the quarter to pull Wilkes within five and made a layup on the Colonels final possession of the half to cut the lead all the way down to four points at 33-29.

The Monarchs came out in the third quarter and scored the first eight points to build its lead back to 12 points. Buckets by Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) and Robel cut the lead back to eight but King's still led by 11 at 45-34 at the end of the third.

King's extended its lead throughout the fourth quarter to as many as 24 before winning 64-43.

Askins scored her career high 13 points off the bench in 25 minutes of playing time. Robel and Victoria Crooker (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) followed with five points each. Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) led Wilkes with seven rebounds to tie her season high and also led the Colonels with six assists.

King's saw four players score in double figures led by Lauren Casey with 13 points. Kiersten Krouse, Brenna Costello, and Kathy Shepherd each scored 10 points. Krouse led the Monarchs with nine rebounds.

Wilkes shot 18-for-60 (30%) from the field, 4-for-24 (16.7%) from three, and 3-for-11 (27.3%) from the free throw line. King's was 24-for-49 (49%) from the field, 5-for-13 (38.5%) from three, and 11-for-18 (61.1%) from the line. The Colonels bench outscored the Monarchs bench 29-15. King's turned the ball over 21 times while Wilkes had 19 turnovers. The Monarchs led in rebounding 43-33.

The Colonels are off this weekend before returning to MAC Freedom action at Lycoming College on Wednesday, January 25 at 8:00 p.m. in Williamsport, Pa.