For Immediate Release – 12/29/18 - #063
Late Run Pushes Marywood Past King's Men's Hoops Saturday
WILKES-BARRE, PA (December 29, 2018) – The King's College men's basketball team led 54-53 with 6:20 to go in regulation but couldn't hold on as the Monarchs dropped a 72-63 non-conference decision to Marywood University in the first day of action from the Cross County Challenge Saturday from McGrane Gymnasium.
The loss overshadowed a career-best game for freshman Jake Pawliczak, who posted a season-high 19 points, adding 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. Pawliczak shot 9-of-18 from the field before fouling out of the contest with a little over three minutes to play in regulation.
The Monarchs (2-9) fell behind early in the contest, as visiting Marywood posted seven of the game's nine points. The Pacer (8-4) lead would grow to as much as 11 points at 35-24 with 2:39 to play in the opening stanza, as Adam Boussatta connected on a three-pointer. King's would battle back just before the break, going on a 6-0 run over the final two minutes to trail 35-30 at halftime.
Marywood shot the ball very well in the first half, making 54.4 percent from the field including connecting on four of its eight three-point attempts. The Pacers also took advantage of nine King's turnovers, resulting in a 12-2 edge in points off giveaways in the opening half.
The visitors continued to lead until 17:02 remaining in the second period, as Pawliczak was fouled on a layup make to make the score 38-38. On the next possession for the Pacers, Zach Tinkham hit a three-pointer to start a 10-2 run for Marywood that ended with MU leading 48-40 with 13:15 to go.
Trailing 53-44 with just under 10 minutes to play, King's started to mount a comeback thanks to a 10-0 run over 2:05 of the game. During the spurt, King's was 3-of-4 from the field while taking its first lead of the game at 54-53 after a jumper from Pawliczak. The two teams traded buckets on the next two possessions, but a Tinkham three with 5:40 left helped Marywood regain the edge 58-56.
The Pacers would extend the lead thanks to a 10-0 spurt, taking a nine-point lead at 65-56 after a Donovan Catchings jumper with 3:18 to play. The Monarchs pulled to within five points with 1:48 to play but could not get any closer. King's held Marywood to 34.6 percent shooting in the second half, but Marywood benefitted from 22 free throw attempts, making 16 from the line to clinch the win.
Junior Andrew Hudak posted a season-high for points with 15 on Saturday and has now scored a career-high for points in each of the last three games. Hudak was 5-of-9 from the field, making five from the charity stripe in addition to his nine rebounds and two assists. Freshman Kevin Hunter came off the bench to score eight points, adding three steals, and Joe Lonardi finished with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting.
Sophomore Brad Kalinowski also added six points in 17 points for the Monarchs, which shot 40.6 percent from the field. King's dominated the glass with a 43-33 rebounding advantage, outscoring Marywood 14-0 on second-chance points. King's also posted a 22-10 lead in bench points Saturday.
Marywood was led by the 18 points from Thomas Swartz, while Tinkham finished with 16 points. Jeremy Ringland added 14 points, eight boards and five blocks for the Pacers, who made 23-of-32 from the line for the contest (71.9 percent).
King's will have a quick turnaround, taking on No. 25 University of Scranton (10-0) Sunday at 3 p.m. in day two of the 2018 Cross County Challenge. Marywood will battle Wilkes University (8-2) at 1 p.m. in McGrane Gymnasium, who fell to Scranton 74-64 in the first game of the day Saturday.
--MONARCHS--