WILKES-BARRE – Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) poured in a game-high 20 points to lead the Wilkes University men's basketball team to an 83-76 non-conference victory over visiting Alvernia University Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes remains unbeaten following its second home win of the season improving to 3-0 overall. Alvernia suffered its first defeat falling to 2-1 on the season.
 
Alvernia led by five midway through the first half before an 8-0 Wilkes run put the Colonels ahead 22-18 with 7:58 on the clock. Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) began the rally with a layup in the paint followed by scores from Trenty Fisher and Merrifield. Merrifield then capped the run with one of his two three-pointers as Wilkes began to turn up the pressure defensively and get out in transition.
 
Lesko continued to score over the final five minutes of the first half nailing a three-pointer before hitting a jumper to give the Colonels a 32-27 advantage with 3:23 left in the first half. A thunderous dunk from Fisher and another Lesko trey gave the Colonels a 37-35 lead at the break.
 
Wilkes used another run, this time 9-0 early in the second half, to collect its biggest lead of the game up 49-37 with 15:18 remaining. A three-point play from Lesko, four points from Fisher and a deep three from Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) capped the rally.
 
Alvernia battled back and cut the lead to two with just over six minutes on the clock, but a three from Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) and subsequent basket from Merrifield kept the Colonels ahead. After a trey from Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey), Merrifield found Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) on a nice back door cut to give Wilkes a 72-63 advantage with 3:35 left.
 
Wilkes then hit 6-of-7 free throws over the final two minutes of play including four straight from Merrifield to seal the home non-conference victory over a former MAC opponent.
 
Merrifield finished 7-for-11 from the floor adding four rebounds and three assists to go with his season-high 20 points. Lesko finished with 17 points and five rebounds before fouling out late in the second half. Fisher posted 15 points and 11 rebounds while Zvorsky added 13 points.
 
Robert Mullan led six double figure scorers for Alvernia with 19 points.
 
The Colonels have a quick turnaround with a exhibition matchup at Division I Patriot League member Lafayette College tomorrow (Sunday) at 1:00 p.m. in Easton, Pa.