Center Valley, PA (December 7, 2022) - The #16 DeSales University women's basketball team used a 14-1 run to finish the fourth quarter pulling away from Wilkes University, 57-36, to stay unbeaten in the MAC Freedom and extend its conference winning streak on Wednesday evening.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 57, Wilkes - 36
• Records: DeSales (8-0, 3-0 MAC Freedom); Wilkes (2-6, 1-1 MAC Freedom)
• The win is DeSales' 51st straight over the Colonels as DSU improves to 52-2 all-time vs. Wilkes.
• The Bulldogs have now won 44 straight MAC Freedom games including the postseason.
• DSU also extends its home winning streak to 32 straight.

How it Happened

• DSU scored the first eight points of the game and led 11-1 before the Colonels cut the advantage down to six points before a short jumper from senior Megan Bealer made it an eight point game at the end of the first quarter.
• The lead grew to as many as 13 points in the second quarter but Wilkes kept it close with DeSales holding that same eight point advantage at the halftime break (26-18).
• Back-to-back three-pointers started the second half with the Bulldogs taking a 14-point lead and was as high as 16 points before Wilkes refused to go away and chipped away at the margin pulling within 11 points (43-32) after three quarters of play.
• The Colonels pulled back within eight after a three-point play to start the fourth quarter but the Bulldogs defense took over from there holding Wilkes to just one more point, a free throw with three seconds left, over the final 9:04 as DSU finished the game on a 14-1 run to ice the win and extend its home and MAC Freedom win streak.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Bealer led all scorers with 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds, added four assists, and had three steals.
• Junior Lindsey Welsh also reached double digits with 11 points, hitting 3 3's and pulled down six rebounds.
• Junior Abigail Rafferty finished with six points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks in the win.

For the Foes

• Yamirelis led Wilkes with 11 points and Julianna Askins had 10 points off the pine.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales entered the game ranked #1 in the country in scoring defense and held Wilkes to just 36 points, lowering it's season average.
• It is the fourth straight opponent the Bulldogs have held under 40 points.
• The Bulldogs were terrific from long range hitting 7-of-14 from three-point land.
• DSU forced 33 Colonels turnovers and held WU to just 28.3 percent shooting.

Up Next

• DeSales is back in action on Saturday when they host Misericordia University in a very important MAC Freedom contest beginning at 1:00 pm.