Center Valley, PA (February 11, 2021) - Senior Matt Edwards scored a game-high 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting leading the DeSales University men's basketball team past Wilkes University, 99-55, in the first game in nearly 11 months for any DeSales athletic team in MAC Freedom action on Thursday evening.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 99; Wilkes - 55
• Records: DeSales (1-0, 1-0 MAC Freedom); Wilkes (0-1, 0-1 MAC Freedom)
• This was DSU's fourth straight win over the Colonels and improves the Bulldogs record to 22-12 all-time vs. Wilkes at home.

How it Happened

• Neither team was sharp to start as the Bulldogs slowly gained a 13-10 lead just shy of the midway point of the first-half.
• DSU was the first team to get its "game" legs underneath them extending that three-point lead to a 19-point advantage with an 18-2 run over the span of 7:20.
• Edwards led the charge with eight of his game-high 18 in the first-half during the spurt.
• The lead swelled to 23 points twice and was 22 at the break (44-22) with Edwards leading all scorers with 18 tallies.
• The Bulldogs scored the first six points of the second-half including a thunderous dunk from Edwards at the 17:48 mark to take a 50-22 lead and cruised the rest of the way with the lead peaking at 46 points.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Edwards equaled his career-high also established vs. King's February of last season.  He added five rebounds and three steals.
• Junior Keba Mitchell and sophomore Darnell Vaughan Jr. each had 11 points.
• Junior Dat Lambert came off the bench to score 10 points.
• Sophomore Aidan Ellwood had a game-high five assists in his first collegiate game.

For the Foes

• Zachary Gula finished with a team-high 15 points.
• Drake Marshall added 13 points.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales shot 58.5 percent from the field and canned 16-of-18 (88.9%) from the free throw line.
• DSU dominated the paint out-rebounding Wilkes, 39-20, and scoring 56 points in the paint.
• The Bulldogs had a 16-3 edge in fast break points and forced 23 Wilkes turnovers leading to 30 points.
• The Colonels did make 10 3's on the night.

Up Next

• These two teams are right back at it tomorrow night, this time at the Marts Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA beginning at 7:00 pm.