The Warriors used an 8-1 run late in the first half to take a 33-24 lead with 3:58 left in the first half. Patrick Baylor started the run with a pair of field goals that gave Lycoming a 20-19 lead. Jonathan Pribble then canned a three-pointer to extend the lead to 23-19. Two buckets by the Colonels’ Evan Walters and field goal by Lycoming’s Jeremiah Edison moved the score to 25-23 with 6:07 showing on the clock.
Lycoming then began their run when Pribble nailed a three-pointer to up the Warriors lead to 28-23. After Chris Shovlin hit one free throw for Wilkes, Brad Musser hit a three-pointer and Pribble knocked down two free throws to extend the lead to 33-24. Lycoming would eventually head into halftime with a 36-29 lead.
Wilkes began chipping away at the Warriors lead early in the second stanza. The Colonels crawled to within 46-44 on two Walters charity tosses with 13:54 left. A three-pointer by Shovlin provided Wilkes with a 47-46 lead. But, Musser answered for Lycoming with a driving basket to put the visitors back on top 48-47.
Lycoming led 50-49 before two free throws apiece by Wilkes’ Greg Cardamone and Walters gave the Colonels a 53-50 lead. A three-pointer by Baylor tied the game at 53-53, and after Walters put Wilkes back on top with a field goal, Kevin Morris drilled a three to provide the Warriors with a 56-55 advantage. Morris tacked on another field goal to improve the Lycoming lead to 58-55 with 6:36 left.
Wilkes responded with a decisive 12-3 run to take the lead for good. Walters and John Yanniello each knocked down two free throws to put Wilkes back on top 59-58 at the 6:01 mark. After Kevin Morris hit one free throw to tie the game at 59-59, Walters scored on a traditional three-point play to give Wilkes the lead for good, 62-59, with 5:36 left.
Pribble scored inside to cut the Colonels lead to 62-61. A pair of Cardamone free throws, a dunk by Walters off an assist from Shovlin, and a free throw by Rashawn Pressley pushed the Wilkes lead to 67-61 with 3:07 showing on the clock. Lycoming would get within four points on two more occasions, but Wilkes would convert 10-of-14 free throws in the final two minutes to hold off the Warriors.
Yanniello finished with 27 points, five rebounds and three assists to lead five Wilkes players in double figures. Walters chipped in with 17 points, seven boards and three assists. Shovlin had 12 points, three assists and three steals. Cardamone, who had nine rebounds, and Mike Constantine had 10 points each.
Pribble cashed in a game-high 29 points to lead Lycoming. Kevin Morris finished with 13 points and Musser added 12 tallies for the Warriors.