WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's and women's basketball teams play their first Landmark Conference games of the season this Wednesday, taking on Lycoming College. The men will play the Warriors at the Marts Center while the women travel to Williamsport. Both games will tip-off at 7:00 p.m.
 
Men's: Live Stats | Live Video
Women's: Live Stats | Live Video
 
Admission (Men's)
Adults: $8
Seniors/10-17 years: $5
9 years and under: FREE
 
Men's Preview
The Colonels have started the season hot and enter Wednesday's contest with a 3-0 overall record, including wins over Rowan University, King's College, and Keystone College.

Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) leads the team in scoring and rebounds, averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 boards in two games played. Sophomore Daniel Santaniello (Roaring Brook Twp., PA/Scranton Prep) has shined since entering the starting lineup, sitting second on the team in scoring averaging 16 PPG. The Roaring Brook Twp. native has also been one of the team's best threats from deep, shooting 42.1% from beyond the arc.

Seniors Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township) and Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) have also been key contributors. Ackerman leads the team in assists with 13 while adding 15.3 PPG, while Argento isn't far behind with 11 assists and 11.3 PPG.
Wilkes has also seen production off the bench, with Mason Fedor (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) and Issac Thomas each grabbing 12 boards and Brendan Styer (Chesterbrook, PA/Conestoga) collecting 12 assists.

Although only three games into the season, Wilkes sits in the top half of the conference averaging 87.3 PPG and second with a scoring margin of 17.3. On the glass, Wilkes sits atop the Landmark with an average of 47.3 rebounds per game and rebounding margin of 15.7, the only team in the conference to be in double-digits in that metric.

Lycoming enters this contest 2-2 overall, led by junior guard Connor Shanahan averaging 16.3 PPG. He is joined in the backcourt by senior Isaiah Valentine, the team's top assister with 16 through four games. Forwards Hayden Pardoe and J.J. Beagle lead the team on the glass averaging 5.5 and 4.0 rebounds per game respectively.

The Warrior offense sits ninth in the conference averaging 65.3 PPG, while the defense has held their opponents to just a .387 percentage from the field. The team has also struggled with rebounds, holding a -15.0 turnover margin.
 
Women's Preview
The Colonels enter this game after a strong start to the season, sitting at 2-1 with wins over Penn State Berks and Saint Elizabeth University.

Maliyah Warren (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) has been a dominant force through the first three games, leading the team in scoring (14.3 PPG) and rebounding (8.0 RPG). Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) has also continued to be a key contributor to the offense averaging 13.3 PPG and a team-high 10 assists. Carolyn Lundy (Fair Haven, NJ/St. John Vianney) (5.7 PPG), Anya Richet (Plymouth, PA/Wyoming Valley West) (5.7 PPG), and Aivry Devoy (Milton, MA/Archbishop Williams) (4.3 PPG) have contributed to the scoring as strong options off the bench, rounding out the team's top five scorers.

The team has also seen strong defense early in the season, tied with Scranton for the most steals per game in the conference (15.6), second in the conference in opponent field goal percentage (.309), and third in total defense (53.3 PPG allowed). Senior Reagan Holden (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Wilkes-Barre Area) leads the team with eight steals, followed by Matos with seven and Addison Place (Dover, PA/Northern York) with six. Newcomers Place and Mercedes Artaiz (Durham, CT/Mercy) lead the team with three blocked shots each.

Wilkes has also been strong on the defensive glass, second in the conference averaging 30.3 per game. The Colonels are tied with Susquehanna for the most combined team rebounds in the conference at 43.7 per game.

Lycoming enter this contest 1-1 on the season, following a win over the University of Valley Forge led by Allison Fisher's career-high 22 points. The senior guard leads the team in scoring and rebounding averaging 13.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG. Guards Kami Abdo (8.5 PPG), Jocelyn McCracken (8.5 PPG), and Sydnie Stone (7.0 PPG) round out the team's top scorers.

The Warriors sit just behind the Colonels in total defense (54.5 PPG allowed) but are first in opponent three-point percentage early in the season at .135.