Strong Second Half Falls Short as Late Shots Push Stevens Over Wilkes Men's Basketball
WILKES-BARRE – The Colonels scored 45 points in the second half to get back ahead of the Ducks, but Matt Leming's three at the buzzer helped Stevens Institute of Technology defeat the Wilkes University men's basketball team in Saturday afternoon Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action inside the Marts Center.
Wilkes falls to 10-9 this season and 5-5 in conference play. Stevens would improve to 9-11 on the year and jump to 6-5 in MAC Freedom competition.
The first half would be difficult for the Colonels to get on their feet as they would shoot 21.4% from the field in the half, making only 6 of their 28 shot attempts. Meanwhile, Stevens would hit 10-of-24 shots, including 4 of their 10 attempts from beyond the arc. Brett Bischoping would start it off for the Ducks, as he would make a three to cut the tie four minutes into the game to give Stevens a 7-4 lead.
After Conor Coffey hit a layup to extend Stevens' lead, Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) would make the only three in the first half for Wilkes, making the game 9-7 with 12:52 left in the first half. The Ducks would score the next eight points to get their lead in double digits with a 17-7 lead over the Colonels. Merrifield, Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff), and Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) would all score in the first half for Wilkes, but they would head into halftime down 27-18 against Stevens.
The second half would see a shift in momentum for the Colonels, Fisher would score the first nine points for Wilkes, adding to his career-high 25 points on the day, and getting the Colonels closer to Stevens as they would be down 32-27 four minutes into the game. Zvorsky and Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) would make their layups to get within one point of the Ducks. Brian Dolnick would make his own to keep Stevens with the lead, but Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) would hit a three to tie the game up at 34-34.
Both teams would trade points, as Stevens would retake the lead only for Wilkes to tie the game back up minutes later. Eventually, Fisher would make back-to-back layups, adding to his 21-point second half performance, to give Wilkes the 42-39 lead. Jack Liedtka would hit a three to tie the game up once more, and teams would keep it tied until Zvorsky would hit two straight three-pointers to give the Colonels a 50-46 lead with 7:11 left in the game.
Stevens would try to get back into the game, but Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) would hit his free throws while Fisher would keep making layups to get the lead to 60-54. Fisher would eventually find Lesko as he would make a basket and get fouled, converting the and-one opportunity to have Wilkes up nine with 1:46 left in the contest. Leming would hit a three pointer and two free throws while Mike Goodall would hit his own shot from beyond the arc to get the score 63-62 with 12 seconds left on the clock.
Merrifield would get fouled and go to the line for a one-and-one but would miss his first attempt. Frank Gelfman would get the rebound and pass it to Coffey, who would try to get in the paint but eventually find Leming at the top side of the key, where he would take his shot from beyond the arc as time expired and sink it in, lifting the Ducks to victory in conference action and downing the Colonels.
Fisher would have his fourth double-double on the year, leading Wilkes in scoring and rebounds with a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds as he was 10-19 on the field and 5-6 from the free throw line. Zvorsky followed behind with 11 points while leading the Colonels in assists as he recorded five in the afternoon contest while having two steals as well. Merrifield rounded out the double digit scoring with 10 points on the day. Davidhesier had three assists on the day, with Eberhart following behind with two.
Wilkes would shoot 40.7% from the field as they made 22 of their 54 attempts. The Colonels would be 4-of-12 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3%, while making 15-of-their 20 free throws to go 75% from the line. Stevens was 21-47 on the field (44.7%), making 9-24 shots from three (37.5%), and be 24-of-21 from the line.
The Colonels will stay at home as they will host DeSales University at 6:00 p.m. inside the Marts Center for MAC Freedom action.
