Center Valley, PA (January 9, 2019) - The DeSales University men's basketball team shook off a seven-point halftime deficit scoring 63 second-half points to earn a 97-85 win over Wilkes University in MAC Freedom action on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 97, Wilkes - 85
• Records: DeSales (10-4, 3-0 MAC Freedom); Wilkes (10-4, 2-1 MAC Freedom)

How it Happened

• DeSales opened the game hot opening up a 13-4 lead before Wilkes took control using a 22-5 run over the span of 5:40 to take a 26-18 lead.
• The Bulldogs got back within one points (26-25) before the Colonels slowly pushed its advantage back up to seven points (41-34) at the half.
• It was a 10-point lead for Wilke (48-38) early in the second-half before a 10-0 DeSales run tied the game at 48, but Wilkes quickly countered with a 7-0 run to take a 55-48 lead.
• DeSales dominated the rest of the game using a 28-5 run over the next 7:42 turning a six-point deficit (58-52) into a 17-point lead (80-63) that all but finished off the Colonels.
• Sophomore Matt Kachelries led the spurt with nine points and five assists as six different Bulldogs scored in the clinching run.
• Wilkes got within nine points with about 90 seconds left but the Bulldogs hit 5-for-6 from the charity stripe over the final 60 seconds to ice the win.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Kachelries stuffed the stat sheet with a career-high 26 points, six rebounds, and a career-high tying 12 dimes.  He also added a career-high tying four steals.
• Junior Tracy Simsick equaled Kachelries in the scoring column with 26 points and added six boards.
• Senior Luke Connaghan registered his second double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Junior Julian Wing totaled 11 points.

For the Foes

• Tommy Bowen had a monster game with 31 points and 13 rebounds.
• Marcus Robinson added 25 points, hitting 6 three-pointers.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales out-scored Wilkes, 60-30, in the paint for the game.
• DSU hit 66.7 percent from the field in the second-half and shot 56.1 percent for the game.
• Wilkes shot just 40.6 percent for the game.
• The Bulldogs had 29 fast break points.

Up Next

• The Bulldogs are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Delaware Valley University for another MAC Freedom conference game beginning at 2:00 pm.