BOX SCORE

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Feb. 14, 2009) - Wilkes University (13-9, 9-6) got a game-high 37 points from sophomore guard Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly) and 22 from Tom Kresge (Broadheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) in a 77-63 win over Alvernia University (10-13, 6-8) Saturday afternoon in Freedom Conference men's basketball action at the Marts Center.

Alvernia started well putting together a 6-0 spurt to open an 18-11 run midway through the first, but Wilkes erased that lead with nine of the next 11 points to knot the score at 20-all with 9:01 on the first-half clock.

The score was tied again at 24-all with 6:00 on the clock, but Wilkes closed the half with 22 of the last 24 points of the half to take a 46-26 lead at the break.  Alvernia missed eight shots from the floor and three from the free throw line to end the half as the host Colonels pulled away hitting 8-of-11 shots from the floor during the same span.  DeRojas hit four of his seven 3s during the run and scored 20 of 22 for Wilkes.

Alvernia used a 12-2 run early in the second half to cut the gap to 11 points, 51-40 with 13 minutes left, but Wilkes slowly built it back to 18 points with 9:30 to play.

Alvernia junior Charlie Huhges (Kenhorst, Pa./Governor Mifflin) hit back-to-back 3s and senior David Washington (Durham, N.C./Northern Durham) added another as Alvernia chopped the lead in half at 62-53 with seven minutes to play.

The lead was still nine with under six to play before Kresge and DeRojas his big 3s back-to-back to push the lead to 15 points.  A pair of DeRojas free throws made it a 19-point game with under two minutes to play and Alvernia slashed five points off the spread scoring six of the last seven points.

The Crusaders got 12 points from Nick Rivera (Reading, Pa./Holy Name) and 10 from Eric Barefield (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion).  Alvernia will travel to FDU next Tuesday and will need help to get back into the playoff picture.

Wilkes 77, Alvernia 63