WILKES-BARRE – Five different players reached double figures in a balanced attack as the Wilkes University women's basketball team finished of its 2023-24 season strong posting an 80-57 Landmark Conference victory over Goucher College Saturday afternoon on Senior Day inside the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes concluded its season with a 9-16 overall record, 5-12 in its first season in the Landmark. Goucher finished its campaign with a 1-24 overall mark and 1-17 in league games.
 
Goucher started the game on fire from behind the three-point line burying six triples in the opening ten minutes of play to take a 23-16.
 
Wilkes responded with a big rally in the second quarter outscoring the Gophers 28-7 in the frame. Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) and Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) began the scoring tear with layups inside. Four consecutive free throws from Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) gave the Colonels their first lead of the game up 28-25 with 65:59 left in the half. Marino added another layup and Taylor Simpson (Dunmore, PA/Lawrenceville School) connected on a trey, three of her team-high 14 first half points, to push Wilkes out ahead 35-27 with under four minutes remaining in the second stanza. Four more free throws from Evanosky and Babcock gave Wilkes a 44-30 advantage at the break.
 
The Wilkes lead grew to 21 points over the third quarter as the Colonels turned up the pressure on defense leading to easy transition scores from Evanosky, Marino and Babcock. The Colonels held a 67-46 advantage heading into the final frame.
 
Regan Holden scored back-to-back buckets on Goucher turnovers and two scores from Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) inside put Wilkes ahead for good at 76-52 with 2:48 left in the game.
 
Simpson finished with a team-high 16 points while Shober followed with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. She graduates as the school's all-time leader in blocks. Babcock closed out her career with 12 points and six boards. Marino and Evanosky each chipped in 11 points and combined for 11 assists.
 
Prior to the game, Wilkes honored seniors Marino, Shober, Babock and Tess Edwards (Benton, PA/Northwest Area) for all their hard work and dedication to the program over the last four years.
 
The contest concludes the Colonels 2023-24 campaign and the first season in the Landmark Conference.