FEBRUARY 14, 2017

WILKES USES SECOND HALF SURGE TO DOWN KING'S MEN 84-68

WILKES-BARRE -- The host Wilkes University men's basketball team broke open a tie game by outscoring visiting King's College 38-20 over the game's final 13 minutes as the Colonels walked away with a 84-68 victory Tuesday night in the Marts Center.

With the win, Wilkes improved to 12-12 overall and 6-7 in Freedom Conference play while King's slipped to 5-19 and 1-12 in league games.

In the first half King's jumped out to a 10-4 lead 6:09 into the game on the strength of five points from Connor Callejas and three by Dan Rutecki. Wilkes countered with a 13-3 run to take a 17-13 following a jumper by Johnny Bamford.

After a Rutecki basket brought the score to 26-22 with 3:57 left in the half, Wilkes closed out the opening stanza with a 12-5 spurt to take a 38-27 lead at the break.

In the second half, Rutecki score nine points in a 11-5 Monarch run to bring King's to within 43-38.  Chris Fazzini then scored five straight points and Rutecki converted a lay-up to give the Monarchs a 44-43 lead with 14:42 remaining.

With the game tied 48-48 with 13:08 on the clock, Wilkes outscored King's 12-2 over the next 2:31 to build a 60-50 advantage with 10:37 to go. After the Monarchs closed to within 62-57 after a pair of foul shots from Callejas with 8:52 to play, Wilkes put the game away with a 18-4 run to extend the score to 79-61 with 3:01 left. The Monarchs would come no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Rutecki led King's with 21 points and three assists while Callejas followed with 14 points, Jake Barber tallied 10 points while Chris Fazzini chipped in with eight points and a team-high six rebounds. 

Marcus Robinson led Wilkes with 25 points while Connor Evans and Rob Pecorelli added 11 points apiece.

King's will close out its season Saturday at FDU-Florham in a 3:00 PM Freedom Conference matchup.