WILKES-BARRE, PA. -- Wilkes defeated Gwynedd Mercy, 73-71, Wednesday night in a non-conference matchup between both teams.

The Colonels broke a 59-59 tie on two free throws with 3:28 remaining and held off a late push from the Griffins.

Elyse Sylvester led GMercyU in scoring for the second-straight game, totaling 14 points, five assists, five rebounds, and three assists. Shannon Carroll kicked in 11 points. On the glass, Carroll and Cayla Sharkey each grabbed seven apiece. The team saw Wilkes commit 43 turnovers, the most by an opposing team so far this year, leading to 26 Gwynedd points.

Gianna Roberts netted a game-high 23 points for the Colonels who also got 13 points from Maddie Kelley and Vanessa Whitecavage respectively.

Sharkey's three-pointer at the end of the first gave the Griffins an 18-9 lead after the first 10 minutes of action. However, Wilkes shot 11-of-15 in the second and outscored Gwynedd, 25-13 and erase an 11-point deficit to take a three-point edge at the half (34-31).

The Colonels led by as much as eight in the third quarter before the Griffins got it down to 51-50 heading into the final frame.

In that fourth quarter, Chyanne Fine's putback off a three-point miss from Sylvester knotted the game for the fifth time at 59-59 with 4:05 to play. Whitecagave then hit two from the line to put Wilkes up for good. The Colonels were able to hold off Gwynedd, going 16-of-20 at the free-throw line in that final stanza.

The team returns to action on Saturday when they host nationally-ranked DeSales here at The Griffin Complex starting at 1 p.m.