Wilkes men’s basketball team approaches its second time around in Freedom Conference play when it takes on the Cougars of Misericordia University Feb. 5.

Wilkes currently sits at 6-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play; Misericordia is tied for third with a 3-2, 8-7record in conference and overall record. The Colonels have lost the last three games by a combined 16 points.

The Colonels are led by senior Pat Furst, who continues to battle through an injury; however, he still leads the team in scoring with 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per-game.

Alec Wizar has drilled a team-high 42 three-pointers, which puts him in second in the Freedom Conference; he is also second on the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game.

The Cougars are led by senior Matt Greene, who averages 12.9 points per game and leads the league in three-point field goals with 44. Junior Steve Ware averages 12.6 points per game, and junior Joe Busacca averages 10.7 points per game.

The Colonels’ first appearance against the Cougars went into overtime. Furst had a game-high 24 points as Colonels big men Nic Wilkins and Jimmy Brackett scored a combined 25 points in the 72 to 70 win.

Busacca led four Cougars in scoring finishing with 16 points. Ware and Coel Evans added 13 points, in addition to Matt Greene’s 12 points and four assists.

Throughout the game the Colonels shot 47.1 percent beyond the arc and 50 percent from the line, as the Cougars shot 53.3 percent from beyond the arc and 51.9 percent from the line.

The game will be the Marts Center at 8 p.m.

– Marcus Leaf

Lady Colonels take on Misericordia

The Wilkes University Lady Colonels basketball team is preparing to kick off its second meeting with its crosstown rivals, the Misericordia Cougars.

In the first meeting between the teams, Misericordia got the best of Wilkes, 66-56.

This meeting is set to take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5at Misericordia.

“We are trying to get as many wins as we can to make the playoffs,” Cara Basile, a sophomore guard from Whitehall, Pa., said.

The team is 4-11 overall and 1-4 in the Freedom Conference through Jan. 25.

– Jared Powell