WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Wilkes University guard Connor Evans scored eight of his team-leading 14 points in overtime as the Colonels outlasted Manhattanville College by a 68-63 (OT) score in MAC Freedom men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
Junior Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) led all scorers with 16 points for Manhattanville (7-14, 3-7 MAC Freedom), while freshman JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) added 15 points for the visitors as well. In addition to Evans' 14, a trio of Colonels – Tommy Bowen, Mark Mullins and Marcus Robinson – all scored 12 points each for Wilkes (11-10, 5-5 MAC Freedom).
 
Cobbs started the scoring with a pair of free throws and Manhattanville held an advantage for almost the entire 40 minutes of regulation, as Wilkes held a lead for only 69 seconds during that time. The Valiants went into halftime with a 32-27 lead thanks to 48.0 percent (12 of 25) shooting from the field over the first 20 minutes, including a stellar 5-of-7 effort (71.4 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
Manhattanville increased its lead to a game-high 10 points early in the second stanza following a Tuci layup and a Cobbs three-pointer that put the visitors up 37-27 with 17:03 left. The Valiants never trailed in the second half but ceded the lead on a Zach Walser layup with 1:25 that tied the score at 54. A pair of turnovers gave Wilkes one last chance to win the game with less than five seconds left in regulation, but junior Brian Haggerty (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) made a huge defensive play by denying Evans on a drive to the hoop to help send the game into overtime.
 
The Valiants jumped out to a 59-54 lead early in extra time thanks to an Arena layup and a Tuci three-pointer, but the next 10 points went the way of Wilkes, beginning with back-to-back threes from Evans that turned the tide of the game. Cobbs hit a three to get back within one possession (66-63) with 19 seconds remaining, but Evans sunk a pair of free throws to seal the game.

The visitors ended the game shooting 46.3 percent (25 of 54) from the field and over 52 percent from beyond the arc (9 of 17), while the home team finished at 41.9 percent (26 of 62) from the field.
 
Manhattanville returns to Kennedy Gym on Wednesday, when the Valiants host Delaware Valley University for an 8 p.m. tipoff.