WILKES-BARRE, PA (November 26, 2024) -- The King's College women's basketball team used a strong start and a 30-18 halftime lead to propel themselves to a 54-44 win over Wilkes University on Tuesday evening in the Marts Center. The Monarchs enter the holiday weekend at 3-3 overall, while the Colonels drop to 0-7.
 
King's (3-3) stormed out to an early 11-1 edge behind six points from Lauren Casey with 5:39 to go in the first. Wilkes (0-7) closed back within four, 11-7, with 3:15 to play, but the Monarchs closed the quarter on a 6-3 run to take a 17-10 advantage heading into the first break.
 
The Monarchs kept the momentum going to start the second, scoring the first eight points in the frame to jump ahead, 25-10, with 7:48 left in the half. The Colonels kept King's from running away with it, never allowing the Monarchs to lead by more than 14 down the stretch as King's entered the locker room with a 30-18 lead.
 
Wilkes responded in the third, out scoring the Monarchs 11-5 in the frame, to make it a two-possession game heading into the fourth.
 
A tally from Juleesah Hines and back-to-back threes from Gianna Dickson got the Monarchs back into their groove, and rebuild their double-digit lead. The teams traded baskets, but with 3:11 remaining Casey scored in the paint and both Alli Lindsay and Dickson drained one from the charity stripe to jump back up by 15, 54-39, with 1:59 left. The Colonels attempted a comeback, but their efforts came up shy as the Monarchs won, 54-44, on Tuesday night.
 
Casey led the offense with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting with seven rebounds, while Dickson posted 14 points, four assists, and three boards. Cadie Lewis tacked on eight points, nine boards, three helpers, and a steal, while Lindsay totaled eight points with a team-high 11 boards, three dimes, and two steals. Additionally, Hines recorded eight points and eight caroms.
 
Nadie Evanosky paced the Colonels with 16 points, eight rebounds, five steals, three assists, and a block.
 
The Monarchs shot 38.6% from the floor, assisting on 13 of their 22 field goals, while winning the rebounding margin by a 49-36 edge. The defense limited Wilkes to 27.6% from the floor and an abysmal 6.7% from beyond the arc with 12 Wilkes turnovers. Inside the stat sheet, King's had the edge in points off turnovers (11-10), second chance points (8-3), points in the paint (32-26), and fast break points (6-4).
 
King's will be off for the holiday break before returning to action on Wednesday, December 4 at 6:00 p.m. at Centenary University.