HUNTINGDON, PA – The Wilkes University men's basketball team dropped its Landmark Conference game Saturday afternoon at Juniata College by a 65-56 score as the Eagles outscored the Colonels by 10 in the second half of play.

With the road loss, Wilkes now stands at 14-5 overall and at 7-5 in the Landmark. Juniata improved to 11-8 overall and 7-5 in the league as the two teams split the regular season series.

Wilkes started the game on a 5-0 run with a Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) bucket and a Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) three. Juniata took its first lead at 8-7 following a made three. By the 6:56 mark of the first half the Eagles saw their lead extend to eight points at 22-14.

Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township) stopped the run with three free throws with 6:31 on the clock. The sophomore then made a layup and a three to draw Wilkes within two at 26-24 and Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) tied the game with a made layup. Fisher's score down low with 1:34 left until halftime put Wilkes ahead 28-26 and one Juniata free throw down the stretch made the score 28-27 in favor of the Colonels at the break.

A dunk by Fisher, three by Davidheiser, and two free throws by Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) kept the Blue and Gold ahead 35-33 with three minutes gone in the second half. The Colonels still led 39-37 with 13 minutes left as Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) and Zvorsky made two-point shots. With 10:47 left Wilkes led 44-40 following a three-point play by Zvorsky and two makes from the stripe at the line by Ackerman.

Juniata slowly went on an 11-4 run to take a 51-48 lead with just over eight minutes left. The two teams battled with the Colonels going back ahead 56-55 when Fisher scored in the paint and Zvorsky converted in transition following a steal with 4:46 left. Wilkes was unable to find the bucket again however as the Eagles closed on a 10-0 run to earn the 65-56 victory.

Ackerman came off the bench to play 19 minutes and lead the Colonels in scoring with a career high of 14 points. Fisher and Zvorsky added 11 points each. Fisher added 14 rebounds to a double-double and Zvorsky had nine.

Mason Hardy led Juniata with 23 points while Chase Husted added 16 and Evan Eisenhart 14. Gabe Guidinger had 10 rebounds.

The Colonels remain on the road for a Landmark matchup with the University of Scranton on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.