The win was the fifth straight for Wilkes and improved their overall record to 8-2 heading into Monday night’s home game against Baptist Bible College at 7 p.m. Marywood saw their overall mark move to 4-4.
After the Colonels’ Steve Kline and Marywood’s Prince Blacknall traded baskets to open the game, Wilkes took the lead for good at 4-2 on another Kline field goal. Holding a slim 8-7 lead with 13:50 remaining in the game, the Colonels would rattle off 17-2 run to take a double-digit lead they would never relinquish.
A three-pointer by Kline and consecutive trifectas by Tom Kresge in a span of just 51 seconds started the run and gave Wilkes a 17-7 lead with 12:59 showing on the clock. Adam Wildasin put a temporary halt to the Colonels outburst with a basket that cut the lead to 17-9. But, Dan Adams and John Kelly each canned a free throw to push the lead back to double-figures for good, 19-9. Chris Gulla and Kline would add field goals before Kresge capped the run with a pair of charity tosses that pushed the Wilkes advantage to 25-9 with 10:39 remaining in the stanza.
Marywood closed to within 12 points on a pair of occasions, including 33-21 on a Blacknall jumper 3:53 before intermission. However, the Colonels would continue to stretch the lead and took a 46-27 advantage into the locker room at halftime following a Kresge offensive rebound and put-back with seven seconds left in the half.
Wilkes would continue their impressive play in the second half, not allowing Marywood to climb any closer than 18 points during the final 20 minutes. The Colonels biggest lead came with 4:06 remaining when Tyler Jenkins knocked down two free throws to give his team a 94-52 lead.
Wilkes shot 46 percent from the field in the game, hitting 29-of-63 field goal attempts. The Colonels were also successful on 35-of-48 free throw tries and held a sizeable 57-33 edge on the boards. They also limited Marywood to just 35.4 percent shooting from the field after the Pacers were able to convert 23-of-65 field goal attempts.
Kresge led five Wilkes players in double-figures with 20 points and nine rebounds. Kline contributed 18 points, five boards and six blocked shots. Jeremy Kable chipped in with 12 tallies, Kelly had 11 points and five rebounds, and Adams cashed in 10 points and nine rebounds.
Blacknall finished with 13 points to lead the Marywood attack. Wildasin was also in twin digits with 10 tallies.