Ryan Milford scored six straight points and John Yanniello added a three-pointer as part of a 9-0 Wilkes run that gave the Colonels a 68-54 lead with 6:43 left in the game. The Colonels would maintain a double-figure lead until the final three minutes of the contest.
Trailing 72-60 after a pair of Sclafani free throws with 3:38 to play, Marywood began to chip away at the lead. Lawrence Tompkins and Ryan Rogan converted consecutive field goals for the Pacers to cut the gap to 72-64. After Milford hit two charity tosses to extend the lead to ten, Tim Smallwood was fouled while attempting a three-pointer and calmly sank all three free throws to make it a 74-67 game with 1;29 showing on the clock.
The Colonels would turn the ball over on their next trip and Rogan would hit two free throws to cut the lead to 74-69 with 1:15 left. After Sclafani made one of two charity tosses, Rogan cashed in a drive to pull Marywood within 75-71 with 44 seconds left. After a Mike Constantine free throw made it 76-71, Adam Keefer nailed a three-pointer for Marywood with 13 seconds left to make it 76-74.
Sclafani hit the back end of a two-shot free throw situation with nine ticks remaining to push the Wilkes lead to 77-74. The Pacers had one final opportunity to tie the game, but Andrew Swanson’s three-point attempt with two seconds left was off the mark.
Milford registered career-highs with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He also chipped in with four steals and three assists. Constantine added 17 points and four assists. Yanniello had 15 tallies, while Sclafani added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Smallwood led Marywood with 23 points. Rogan added 17 points, three assists and three steals. Tompkins had 14 points and eight rebounds and Matt Chapman cashed in 11 tallies and four assists.