Wilkes improved to 10-4 overall and 6-0 in conference action. The Colonels also extended their winning streak to four straight. Drew sees their records fall to 7-10 overall and 2-4 in the conference.
An 8-0 run midway through the first half gave Wilkes a 10-point lead for the first time. Constantine started the spurt with a steal and lay-up to make it 11-7. After Matt Gould hit a free throw for the Colonels, Jeremy Kable picked off a pass and converted it into a basket to up the advantage to 14-7. A free throw by Evan Walters and two charity tosses by Chris Shovlin at the 11:37 mark put Wilkes ahead 17-7.
The lead would grow to 12 points on several occasions in the first half, including 36-24 on a Steve Kline jumper with 3:52 remaining. Drew would use a modest 6-2 advantage in the closing minutes to cut the lead to 38-30 at halftime.
Wilkes opened the second half by out-scoring Drew 12-2 to assume command for good. Shovlin hit a pair of field goals and Greg Cardamone scored off an Evan Walters assist to give the Colonels a 44-30 lead. Damon DiLorenzo put a temporary end to the run with basket that cut the lead to 44-32. But, Shovlin and Constantine hit back-to-back three’s to extend the lead to 50-32 with 16:54 left.
Drew would make one more run at the Colonels, closing to within 64-54 on a basket by Chris Lopez with nine minutes left. Wilkes would answer with eight of the next nine points, including four by Kable and two apiece by Shovlin and Walters, to forge in front 72-55 with 4:35 left. The Rangers would get no closer than 15 points the rest of the way.
Constantine, who hit four three-pointers, was joined in double-figures by three other Colonels. Shovlin had 17 points and five assists. Kable had a career-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Steve Kline contributed 11 points and five rebounds.
Lopez was the only Drew player to reach twin digits. He cashed in 17 points and had five rebounds.