FDU-Florham converted 16-of-26 shots from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 5-of-8 attempts from three-point range. Defensively, the Devils limited Wilkes to just 29.2 percent shooting (7-of-24) in the first half.
The Devils held an 8-7 lead in the opening five minutes of the half before embarking on a 14-2 run that opened up a double-figure lead they would never relinquish. Pierre Schmitt scored the first seven points of the run, hitting three field goals and a free throw to extend the FDU-Florham lead to 15-7.
Anthony Gabriel put a temporary halt to the spurt with a pair of charity tosses at the 11:33 mark that cut the deficit to 15-9. But, Ryan McPherson sandwiched a jumper and three-pointer around a field goal by Brian Rimol to help the Devils up their advantage to 22-9 with 8:23 remaining in the stanza.
A 10-0 run later in the half provided FDU-Florham with additional breathing room. Holding a 32-19 lead with four minutes to go in the half, McPherson cashed in a pair of free throws and Rimol hit one-of-two from the stripe to make it a 35-19 game. After Schmitt scored on a lay-up, Frank Emslie knocked down a three-pointer to give the Devils a 40-19 lead. A pair of Schmitt free throws with 2:23 left before intermission upped the lead to 42-19. FDU-Florham would eventually settle for a 46-24 lead at halftime.
The Devils would open the second half with a 10-5 spurt to take their biggest lead of the game, 56-29, on a Rimol basket inside with 16:02 left. The Colonels responded by out-scoring FDU-Florham 23-9 over the next 7:15 to cut the lead to 65-52 with 8:47 left. Kline keyed the run by scoring 13 points during the stretch. Gabriel chipped in with six points for Wilkes, while Tom Kresge added four tallies.
A modest 8-2 run by the Devils would quell any hopes of a Wilkes comeback. Emslie hit one free throw and both McPherson and Milton LaCroix converted field goal attempts to extend the lead to 70-52. John DeFeo pulled Wilkes with 70-54 with a basket inside, but LaCroix hit three-of-four from the charity stripe on the Devils next two possessions to make it a 73-54 game with 6:17 left. The Colonels would not seriously threaten again.
FDU-Florham ended the afternoon shooting 53.7 percent from the field after converting 29-of-54 field goal attempts. Wilkes shot an impressive 58.8 percent (20-of-34) from the field in the second half, to improve their field goal percentage for the game to 46.6 percent.
Schmitt led four FDU-Florham players in double-figures with 26 tallies. Emslie, who handed out nine assists, and Rimol finished with 17 points apiece. McPherson also reached twin digits with 14 tallies.
Kline cashed in a career-high 24 points, and also chipped in with eight rebounds and four assists, to lead Wilkes. Gabriel added 16 points and five rebounds. Jeremy Kable knocked down 5-of-11 from three-point land to end the day with 15 points. Dan Adams contributed 11 points and seven rebounds.