WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Junior Erica Lutz (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) finished with 15 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds for her third straight double-double, as she helped the Lycoming College women's basketball team build a double-digit lead that it held for nearly 30 minutes in a 78-57 win over Wilkes University in non-conference action at the Marts Center on Tuesday night, Dec. 17.
 
Lutz, who also had four blocks, was one of three Warriors to finish in double figures, as Lycoming (7-4 overall) shot 44 percent (29-of-66) from the floor and held Wilkes (5-4 overall) to 34 percent (20-of-59). The Warriors also held a 52-35 advantage rebounding, which led to 14 second-chance points.
 
Senior Kayla Kline (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) finished with 16 points and six rebounds and senior Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) added 14 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists.
 
In the first half, the Warriors shot 52 percent (17-of-33) from the field and held Wilkes to 30 percent (9-of-30), while also forcing 10 turnovers which led to 13 points in transition, as the team built a 46-25 lead.
 
Lycoming took an 8-2 lead in the opening 4:20 before Wilkes closed within a point with five straight points in the next minute. The Warriors closed the first quarter on a 13-4 run though, to get the lead to double digits. In the second quarter, back-to-back Wilkes 3-pointers made it 23-17 with 7:43 to go, but a 3-pointer from McFadden ignited an 18-3 that ended with a pair of free throws from Kline, which made it 41-20 with 2:08 left. Lycoming kept the lead at 21 at the break at 46-25.
 
In the second half, the Warriors got the lead to as many as 27 near the end of the third quarter, when McFadden hit a layup in transition to make it 64-37. Wilkes outscored Lycoming in the fourth quarter, 15-12, but never got closer than the final margin of 21 points.
 
Senior Morgan Mader (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) had nine points, three assists and two steals and both freshmen Emily Zoscin (Weatherly, Pa./Weatherly Area) and Kenzie Reed (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) each had six points. Zoscin also had five rebounds and three steals.
 
Macy Berryman led the Colonels with 16 points and six rebounds and Vanessa Whitecavage added 11 points.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Jan. 4, when they head to Moravian College for the Steel Club Classic, facing William Paterson at 12 p.m.