WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes men's and women's basketball prepare to take on the Scranton Royals on Wednesday, Feb. 18 as they travel to the John Long Center for a conference match up. The men open the double header at 6:00 p.m. with the women following at 8:00 p.m.

Men's: Live Stats | Live Video

Women's: Live Stats | Live Video

Men's Preview

Wilkes enters the matchup at 14-9 overall and 9-7 in Landmark Conference play following an 81-74 win over Elizabethtown on Saturday. After a slow start, the Colonels trimmed the deficit to four by halftime before continuing to apply pressure throughout the second half. Wilkes executed down the stretch, sealing the victory in the final minute to secure the key conference win.

The senior trio of Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton), Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township), and Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) combined for 57 points and 20 rebounds in the win, with each scoring 19 points. Argento shot an efficient 9-14 from the field, while Lesko went 5-14 from the floor and 9-12 at the free throw line. Ackerman finished 5-8 overall, 3-5 from three-point range, and a perfect 6-6 at the line.

As a team, all five starters average double figures in scoring with Lesko (18.4), Eli Becker (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) (13.7), Ackerman (13.5), Argento (12.7), and Daniel Santaniello (Roaring Brook Twp., PA/Scranton Prep) (12.3), with three ranking among the top 20 scorers in the conference. The Colonels also see three players in the top 10 in rebounding, led by Lesko at 7.6 per game (third), followed by Becker (6.7) and Argento (6.5) in eighth and ninth, respectively. Becker and Argento also rank among the conference leaders in field goal percentage, sitting third (.564) and seventh (.525).

Wilkes as a whole, sits fifth in the Landmark in scoring offense averaging 77.1 PPG, third in field goal percentage (.464), and third in combined rebounds (38.6).

Scranton enters the game at 19-4 overall and 12-4 in Landmark Conference play following a 99-92 win over Susquehanna on Saturday evening. The Royals trailed early but used a 9-2 run to take a 45-41 lead into halftime. Scranton sealed the victory at the free throw line in the final minute to secure the seven-point win.

Sammy Tornabene and Brendan Carr pace the Royals offensively, averaging 17.8 and 14.0 points per game, ranking fifth and 13th in the conference, respectively. Tornabene (ninth) and Nick Ruisi (10th) both shoot .511 from the field to rank among the conference leaders in field goal percentage, while Jon Spatola sits just behind in 11th at .509. Carr also ranks third in the Landmark in three-point percentage (.403), and Spatola leads the conference in assists with 5.7 per game.

As a team, Scranton leads the Landmark in field goal percentage (.484), three-point percentage (.415), and free throw percentage (.778). The Royals rank sixth in scoring offense at 76.3 points per game and second in scoring defense, allowing just 69.9 points per contest.

Women's Preview

Wilkes enters the game at 5-18 overall and 2-14 in Landmark Conference play following a loss to Elizabethtown on Saturday. The Colonels kept the Blue Jays within reach midway through the first half, but Elizabethtown built a 34-16 lead at the break, and Wilkes was unable to recover from the deficit. 

Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) and Maliyah Warren (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) paced the Colonels offensively with 14 and 12 points, respectively, shooting .461 and .357 from the field. Warren and Matos continue to lead Wilkes in scoring at 12.0 and 11.5 points per game, ranking ninth and 11th in the conference. Anya Richet (Plymouth, PA/Wyoming Valley West) anchors the glass for the Colonels, leading the team in rebounding and ranking 11th in the Landmark.

As a team, the Colonels rank 10th in the conference in scoring offense (51.5 PPG) and sixth in scoring defense. Wilkes sits sixth in total rebounding (40.3 per game), including 28.7 defensive rebounds per contest, which ranks third in the Landmark, and fourth in blocked shots at 3.61 per game.

Scranton enters the matchup at 23-0 overall and 16-0 in Landmark Conference play following a 94-53 win over Susquehanna on Saturday. The River Hawks stayed close early, but the Royals pulled away in the second quarter and outscored Susquehanna the rest of the way to secure the dominant victory.

Scranton had two Royals post double digits scores with Kaci Kranson leading with a career-best 37 points and Elizabeth Bennet with 27. 

Kranson tops the conference in scoring (18.3 PPG) and field goal percentage (.530), while Bennet ranks eighth in scoring (12.2 PPG) and fifth in field goal percentage (.486). Katie Gorski ranks third in field goal percentage (.521), and Meghan Lamanna leads the conference in three-point shooting (.404).

As a team, Scranton leads the Landmark in scoring offense (80.7) and defense (42.5), field goal percentage (.459), and three-point percentage (.338). The Royals rank third in total rebounds (41.4) and first in both assists (19.6) and steals (14.6).