WILKES-BARRE – Trailing by just ten points in the fourth quarter, the Wilkes University women's basketball team was unable to fight back all the way as visiting Stevens Institute of Technology outscored the Colonels 19-8 in the final frame on way to a 57-36 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom victory Saturday afternoon in the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes fell to 5-14 overall and 4-6 in MAC Freedom play following the home defeat. Stevens, who is receiving votes in the latest national rankings, improved to 17-3 overall and 10-1 in conference games.
 
Stevens led 30-18 at the break thanks to a strong second quarter as the Ducks outscored Wilkes 16-7 in the frame shooting 47.1 percent from the floor over the ten minute stanza.
 
After the Stevens lead grew to 15 midway through the third quarter, Wilkes began its comeback attempt as Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) scored on a driving layup followed by two free throws from Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township). A layup from Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) and another bucket from Babcock brought the Colonels to within seven trailing 35-28 with 2:02 left in the third. Stevens scored the final two points of the frame taking a ten-point lead to the final quarter of play.
 
Stevens then used a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter to take a 47-28 lead that it would never relinquish.
 
Babcock led all Wilkes scorers with 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Marino followed with eight points, three boards and three helpers.
 
Jess Broad topped all Stevens scorers with a game-high 18 points and ten rebounds.
 
Wilkes is back in action on Wednesday with another MAC Freedom home contest against DeSales University scheduled for 8:00 p.m.