WARRIOR MEN’S HOOPS DROPS HEARTBREAKER ON THE ROAD

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Lycoming College men’s basketball team traveled to Wilkes University, Tuesday evening, for a key Freedom Conference match-up. The Warriors were looking to keep pace atop the conference standings and were two minutes away from doing so, but a late rally by the Colonels gave the visitors a 71-68 loss. Lycoming drops to 17-6 overall and 9-3 within the league with the setback. Wilkes improves to 15-7 and 8-4.

The Warriors used strong defense and rebounding in the first half to build a slim 35-31 advantage by the intermission. Their lead swelled to as many as eight midway through the second half, but the Colonels never gave in.

Trailing by five with 2:32 to play, Wilkes senior Mike Morgan hit a three-pointer to spark the rally. Dave Plisko followed with back-to-back lay-ups to give the Colonels a 69-67 lead with 47 seconds to play. Shaun Morris (Jr./Camp Hill, Pa.; Trinity) pulled Lycoming back within one by making one of two free throws, but Plisko connected on two of his own from the charity stripe to put Wilkes ahead 71-68 with 23 seconds to play.

The Colonels had two chances to ice the game with three attempts from the free throw line with less than 10 seconds showing on the clock, but all three were off the mark, giving the Warriors one last gasp. Morris rebounded the third Wilkes’ miss and dribbled up the right side of the court. With three defenders converging on him, Morris leaned in looking for a foul from beyond the arc. No foul was called and Morris got a shot off that bounced off the back of the rim and then the front before falling harmlessly to the floor as time expired.

Jonathan Pribble (So./Woolrich, Pa.; Central Mountain) was Lycoming’s leading scorer with 13 points. He also led the squad with five assists. L.J. Huggler (Sr./St. Mary’s, Pa.; St. Mary’s) and Morris each added 12 points, while Matt Stackhouse (Sr./Hughesville, Pa.; Hughesville) chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. Morris recorded a team-high eight boards, as well.

Plisko led all scorers with 23 points – 19 coming in the second half. Morgan added 12 markers and Mike Constantine tallied 11 points.

The Warriors are back in action on Thursday, February 19, when they host Drew University for a conference game that was rescheduled from a cancellation in December. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.