DECEMBER 22, 2006
STRONG SECOND HALF
LIFTS WILKES TO 72-52 WIN OVER URSINUS IN RAMADA INN/MONARCH CLASSIC
(Wilkes-Barre, PA) –
Wilkes University held Ursinus College to 21 points in the second half
on their way to a 72-52 win over the Bears in the opening game of the
Ramada Inn/Monarch Classic at King’s College on Friday night.
The Colonels, who will
play College Misericordia on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., upped their record
to 6-2 overall by winning their third straight game. Ursinus saw their
record slip to 5-2 overall. The Bears will meet King’s in Saturday’s
final game of the Classic at 3:00 p.m.
The two teams would
battle on virtually even terms throughout a first half that featured
five ties and six lead changes. Wilkes shot 45.5 percent from the field
in the opening half, while Ursinus connected on 54.2 percent of their
field goal tries, including four-of-six from behind the three-point
line. The Colonels biggest advantage came on the boards, where they
out-rebounded the Bears by a 21-10 count in the first 20 minutes.
Ursinus, whose biggest
lead of the initial stanza was just two points, took their final lead of
the half on a lay-up by Nick Shattuck at the 2:49 mark that made it
31-30. Wilkes would respond by scoring the final five points of the
period to head into halftime with the lead. Jeremy Kable’s
three-pointer with 2:21 remaining provided the Colonels with a 33-31
lead. Steve Kline would add a pair of charity tosses with 56 ticks
showing on the clock to end the scoring and give Wilkes a 35-31 lead.
Wilkes would slowly begin
to pull away in the final period. Two free throws by Chris Gulla and a
Kable three-pointer would give the Colonels a 46-37 lead. After Remy
Cousart cut the lead to 46-39 with a driving basket, Gulla connected on
a long-range shot to provide Wilkes with their first double-figure lead,
49-39.
Ursinus pulled to within
49-41 at the 12:51 mark on a Matt Fabian basket inside, but that is as
close as the Bears would get thanks to a string of eight unanswered
points by the Colonels. Kable cashed in another three, Kline knocked
down a jumper and Anthony Gabriel hit two charity tosses to extend the
lead to 56-41 with 10:07 left.
After a jumper by the
Bears’ John Noonan made it 56-43, Wilkes put together a 10-0 spurt to
put the game away for good. Gabriel scored inside and Kline hit a
three-pointer to provide Wilkes with a 61-43 advantage. Tom Kresge
converted a traditional three-point play and Gulla scored on a drive to
push the lead to 66-43 with 5:27 left.
Wilkes, which shot 57.1
percent (12-of-21) from the field and 75 percent (6-of-8) from
three-point range in the second half, placed five players in
double-figures. Kline had 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
Kresge also had 13 points. Kable and Gulla chipped in with 12 tallies
each, while Gabriel finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
Ursinus received a
game-high 17 points from Noonan, 13 of which came in the first half.
Eric Burnett chipped in with 10 points for the Bears.
The event will continue Saturday with Wilkes facing Misericordia at 1:00
p.m. while King's plays Ursinus at 3:00 p.m.
.
