WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's and women's basketball teams prepare to travel to Huntingdon, Pa. for a Landmark Conference doubleheader this Saturday at Juniata College. The men kick things off at 2:00 p.m. followed by the women at 4:00 p.m.
 
Men's: Live Stats | Live Video
Women's: Live Stats | Live Video
 
Men's Preview

The Colonels responded to a home loss to Catholic with an impressive win over Lycoming on Wednesday, 85-43. Twelve Colonels contributed points in the win to give Wilkes a 14-4 overall record and 7-4 record in Landmark play.

Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) leads the team in scoring averaging 16.4 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the Landmark Conference. Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) and Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) are the other two Colonels averaging double-digits with 14.9 and 14.4 ppg respectively, putting the duo sixth and seventh in the conference.

Fisher dominates the stat sheet for the Colonels, leading the team in rebounds (8.8 rpg, fourth in the conference), assists (3.3 apg, sixth in the conference), and field goal percentage (.569, second in the conference).

The Colonel defense continues to be one of the best units in the Landmark, led by Fisher and Lesko with 1.5 and 1.4 blocks per game respectively, the second and third best marks in the Landmark. Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) leads the team with 1.6 steals per game.

As a unit, the defense ranks first in opponent three-point field goal percentage (.322), and second in the conference in opponent field goal percentage (.400), and defensive efficiency (64.5 ppg allowed).

The team sits fourth in scoring offense (75.0 ppg), second in field goal percentage (.461), and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.320).

Juniata sit right behind Wilkes in the Landmark standings with a 10-8 overall record and 6-5 record in conference play. The Eagles are riding a two-game win streak over Scranton and Elizabethtown in overtime on Wednesday.

Chase Husted leads Juniata in scoring averaging 19.3 ppg, the second best mark in the conference. Evan Eisenhart and Tyler Lapetina also average double-digit scoring at 11.8 ppg and 10.9 ppg respectively.

Husted also leads the team in rebounding averaging 9.0 rpg and a field goal percentage of .586, which also leads the conference. Mason Hardy leads the team in assists averaging 3.9 apg, while Eisenhart provides the three-point threat with a team-leading .372 field goal percentage from beyond the arc.

Juniata's offense ranks seventh in the conference in offensive efficiency (68.4 ppg) and field goal percentage (.431), and rank sixth in three-point percentage (.337).


Women's Preview

Last time out, the Colonels lost a close game at Lycoming 64-52. They now hold a 7-11 overall record with a 3-8 record against conference opponents.

Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) leads the Colonels in scoring averaging 13.3 ppg, the sixth best in the conference. She is followed by Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas), who is averaging 8.9 ppg. Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) (7.7 ppg), Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) (6.9 ppg), and Taylor Simpson (Dunmore, PA/Lawrenceville School) (5.2 ppg) round out the team's top five scorers.

Matos also leads the team in rebounds averaging 6.1 rpg, while Shober and Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) average 5.9 and 5.2 rpg respectively.

Shober continues to be a dominant defensive force under the hoop for the Colonels, leading the team and the conference with 63 blocks, good for third in the nation. Her 3.5 blocks per game average puts her fifth in the nation and top of the conference. Matos leads the team in steals averaging 2.9 per game, the third best mark in the conference.

Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) has been the best ball distributor for the Colonels, leading the team and placing third in the conference with 3.1 assists per game.

Babcock has been one of the Colonels' most consistent shooters, holding a team-best .459 field goal percentage. Meanwhile, Matos leads the team from beyond the arc with a .306 three-point percentage.

The Colonel defense remains one of the stronger groups in the conference, boasting the best opponent three-point field goal percentage (.235), the third best opponent field goal percentage (.339), and most blocks (5.83 bpg). They also have the sixth-most efficient defense in the conference, allowing only 61.8 ppg.

On offense, Wilkes sits seventh in the conference in field goal percentage (.347), and eighth in the conference in scoring efficiency (55.2 ppg) and three-point field goal percentage (.239).

Juniata come into this contest on a five game losing streak, losing at Elizabethtown in their last game 74-50. They sit with a 2-16 overall record and a 1-10 record in conference play.

Haily Sherman leads the team in scoring averaging 9.9 ppg, followed by Bri Bodtorf averaging 9.3 ppg.

Bodtorf leads the team in assists averaging 1.8 apg, while Laney Gerdich leads the team in rebounding averaging 5.9 rpg.

Gerdich leads the team with a .387 field goal percentage, and Emma Coolidge leads from beyond the arc with a .333 three-point percentage.

As a unit, the Eagles offense ranks ninth in field goal percentage (.295), and tenth in both offensive efficiency (48.8 ppg) and three-point percentage (.222). Defensively, Juniata rank fourth in opponent three-point percentage (.261), fifth in opponent field goal percentage (.366), and eighth in defensive efficiency (63.5 ppg allowed).