WILKES-BARRE -- Daniel Santaniello (Roaring Brook Twp., PA/Scranton Prep) scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Wilkes University men's basketball team to a 74-67 Landmark Conference victory over visiting Lycoming College Wednesday night in the Marts Center.

Wilkes remained unbeaten at 4-0 overall and 1-0 in league games.Lycoming dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in conference contests.

The Colonels jumped out to a fast start leading 8-0 in just the first two minutes of play thanks to back-to-back threes from Santaniello and a Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) jumper. Lycoming answered back with a 10-2 run of its own, tying the game at ten with 16:06 on the first half clock. The teams traded buckets over the next seven minutes before the Warriors took their first lead of the game at 20-19 when Connor Shanahan scored a driving layup.

Santinello continued his scoring touch over the final five minutes of the first half drilling his third trey of the game and added a driving score to give the Colonels a 24-20 advantage with 3:29 left. Eli Becker (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) scored in the post and Santinello added his 13th point of the first half on another driving score as Wilkes led 31-26 at the half.

The lead grew to 14 points early in the second half as Santaniello continued where he left off notching his fourth three-pointer and Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township) added a shot from long range as Wilkes led 44-30 with 14:41 remaining. Wilkes took its largest lead of the game with 11:55 on the second half clock as a layup by Brendan Styer (Chesterbrook, PA/Conestoga) put the Colonels ahead 52-33.

The Colonels kept the double-digit lead throughout the next seven minutes before an 11-0 run over the final two minutes of the game brought Lycoming to five at 68-63 following a deep three-pointer. With Lycoming forced to foul, Santaniello finished off his career night going 6-for-6 from the foul line to seal the win.

Santaniello finished an efficient 10-for-15 from the floor including 4-for-7 from long range and a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line. Ackerman followed with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. 

Isaiah Valentine topped Lycoming with 17 points including three treys.

Wilkes makes its first conference road trip on Saturday with a game at Moravian University scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa.