GLENSIDE, Pa. - The Wilkes University men's basketball team ended the calendar year with a 73-71 road win over the Arcadia University Knights Sunday afternoon behind a season-high 25 points from Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton).

The win improves the Colonels to 5-3 and snaps a three-game losing streak, while the Knights drop to 5-4 with the loss.

The Knights scored the game's first points with a layup by Jamison Lynam, and the Colonels answered with a Daniel Santaniello (Roaring Brook Twp., PA/Scranton Prep) three-pointer to take the lead 3-2 after 30 seconds of play. This set the tone for the rest of the first half with both teams trading runs and the lead. 

Arcadia's first run was an 8-0 run to lead 10-3 at the 17:31 mark, forcing Wilkes to take a quick timeout. Wilkes then responded with a 15-6 run to get the lead back thanks to Lesko and Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) who scored 13 of those points.

From there both teams played an even half as neither team led by more than five points. However, the Knights finished the half strong with a 7-0 run over the final 3:33 to take a 34-29 lead going into the locker room. The Colonels shot 42.3% (11-26) in the half, while the Knights shot 51.9% (14-27).

The second half was no different as both teams traded the lead multiple times, with neither team leading by more than seven points all half. Lesko and Argento continued to dominate by scoring 23 of the team's 46 second half points, but the duo of Lynam and Josh Parks for the Knights matched them shot for shot to keep it close.

While Wilkes shot a blazing hot 58.3% (14-24) from the field on offense, their defense stepped up big time in the second half by holding Arcadia to 36.4% shooting (12-33) and outbounded them 16-11.

With the Knights leading 65-64 with 2:15 left in regulation, the Colonels closed out the game perfectly. A Lesko layup put the Colonels back on top and never surrendered the lead after crucial free throws from Ackerman, and a clutch jumper from Argento put Arcadia away for good.

Lesko's 25 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks on 8-15 shooting led the team, and Argento had a great game as well with 18 points and five rebounds on 7-9 shooting. The Colonels as a team shot 50% (25-50) for the game and outrebounded the Knights 36-28.

The Colonels return to the court after the holidays on Dec. 29 as they travel to the Cregger Invitational hosted by Roanoke College for a matchup against Gettysburg University. Tip off is at 2 p.m.