Wilkes-Barre, PA (January 15, 2020) - Junior Matt Kachelries scored a season-high 23 points leading the DeSales University men's basketball team to its seventh straight win, 79-74, over Wilkes University in MAC Freedom action on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 79, Wilkes - 74
• Records: DeSales (10-4, 3-0 MAC Freedom); Wilkes (8-6, 1-2 MAC Freedom)

How it Happened

• Wilkes scored the first five points of the game and never trailed in the first-half leading by as many as seven points several times before taking a 35-33 advantage into the locker room at the half.
• A three from Rob Pecorelli pushed the lead back to five to start the second-half but the Bulldogs took control from there.
• An 12-2 run over the next 4:32 gave DSU its first lead as Kachelries scored the first six points and junior Timmy Edwards gave DSU its first lead on a backdoor dunk.
• The Colonels regained the lead with six straight points but a three-point play from Edwards and two free throws from senior Tracy Simsick made it 50-46 Bulldogs at the 12:41 mark.
• The game went back and forth over the next four minutes as Wilkes trailed by one (60-59) with 8:39 to go.
• DSU used an 11-3 run over the next four minutes to take its largest lead (71-62) with 4:41 left to play.
• A three from Pecorelli ignited a 7-0 run that pulled the Colonels within two with 2:35 remaining but DSU hit 6-for-8 from the charity stripe over the final 2:19 to ice the win on the road.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Kachelries shot 7-for-12 from the field and added a team-high tying six rebounds.
• Edwards added 17 points and six rebounds off the bench.
• Simsick finished with 14 points also off the pine.

For the Foes

• Pecorelli finished with a game-high 24 points.
• Jake Robel added 12 points and Noah Jackson had 13 points off the bench.

Inside the Box Score

• DSU out-scored Wilkes by seven in the second-half hitting 65.0 percent from the field.
• The Bulldogs bench out-scored Wilkes, 39-15
• The Bulldogs did a terrific job at the line hitting 24-for-29 (82.8%).

Up Next

• DeSales is back in action on Saturday when they host Delaware Valley University for a MAC Freedom game set to begin at 3:00 pm.