WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The Wilkes University Colonels bounced back from Saturday’s unexpected loss to Messiah with an 86-64 win over the Clarks Summit University Defenders. Wilkes came into the game with a 5-2 record while Clarks Summit carried a 1-4 record.

The Colonels came into this one still missing Mark Mullins, but Tommy Bowen did return for the Colonels in this one. With Mullins out and Bowen not 100%, Clay Basalyga got his first start of the season. Basalyga logged ten minutes on the floor and played strong defensively.

The big performer for the Colonels though was Robert Pecorelli who dropped 25 points, five assists, and one steal.

The Defenders lost their leading scorer on the season four minutes into the game when Brion Elliott with an ankle injury. Elliott was averaging 20.6 points per game on the season.

With Elliott leaving the game early and starting guard Preston Huckaby in foul trouble for most of the first half, the Defenders looked to Antwan Bradley and John McCloskey for their offense.

The Colonels started the game off slow, trailing 21-14 in the early stages of the first half, but they grabbed the lead and didn’t look back. The Colonels lead by twenty for most of the second half as they controlled play and established to the Defenders that they were the better team, even on another subpar night for the Colonels.

The Colonels will not play another game until December 19th, when they head to Reading, Pa to face MAC-Commonwealth for Albright. The fourteen day layoff comes with finals approaching, and the Colonels will look to use the break to get healthy.