Center Valley, PA (February 24, 2016) – The DeSales University men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 16-0 first-half run by Wilkes University in the second-half falling to the Colonels, 72-62, in the semifinals of the MAC Freedom Tournament on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.
 
The Bulldogs (19-7 overall) will now await a potential Pool C bid into the NCAA Tournament announced on Monday afternoon.  DSU is ranked #3 in the latest NCAA Atlantic Regional Rankings that were announced today.
 
Sophomore Kuity Slanger led the Bulldogs with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in the loss.  Junior Brian Laird finished with 15 points and senior Cody Deal had nine points and seven rebounds.  The Bulldogs shot a season-low 33.9 percent from the field in the loss.
 
Wilkes was led by senior Alec Wizar with a team-high 17 points.  Freshman Marcus Robinson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Clay Basalyga added 12 points off the bench, and Connor Evans finished with 11 points in the win.
 
This game was a defensive battle thru the first 12 minutes that saw DSU leading 14-12 at the 8:03 mark after a jumper from junior Brandon Bridy.  Wilkes quickly tied the game on a lay-up from Zachary Brunner on the next possession igniting a 16-0 run over the next 4:46 that gave the Colonels a 28-14 lead late in the first-half.
 
The Bulldogs cut the margin down to single digits with 1:27 to go before the half but back-to-back 3's from Evans gave the Colonels a 34-19 advantage at the break.
 
DSU came out strong to start the second-half chipping away at the lead using a quick 7-0 run to get within seven (36-29) at the 15:16 mark after a three from Deal.
 
Wilkes kept answering each DeSales run and continued to lead by 10 (65-55) with 1:08 to go when the Bulldogs almost pulled off a miracle.
 
A lay-up from Slanger cut it down to eight points and after Wilkes made just one free throw Laird hit a three making it 66-60 with 1:02 to go.  After two timeouts Wilkes was called for a five second violation and Slanger hit two free throws on the ensuing possession cutting the margin down to four points with 52 seconds left.
 
DeSales fouled on the following inbounds and again the Colonels made just 1-of-2 but Slanger was called for an offensive foul with the Bulldogs trailing by just five points with 44 seconds left and Wilkes iced the game from the line the rest of the way hitting 5-of-6 freebies down the stretch.
 
Slanger earns A.B.E. Doors and Windows Player of the Game honors in the loss falling just one rebound shy of a double-double.