Junior Christine Marks tied a school record with 14 made field goals, notched a career-high 32 points and neared 1,000 career points as the Misericordia University women's basketball team defeated Wilkes 69-55, Thursday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre.

Marks finished with 32 points (on 14-of-20 shooting) and a game-high 11 rebounds. Jesse Robinson (19 points) and Tyann McDaniel (16 points) helped carry the offensive load for MU.

With 4:57 remaining, Marks (983 career points) converted her 13th field goal of the game and was fouled. Her free throw put Misericordia ahead 62-45.

Marks could have tied the record several possessions later, but was hacked after getting free underneath. With 2:44 to play however, she cut to the hoop and finished off the layup, equaling the record set by Lori Bane way back in 1992.

Wilkes was within five points early in the second half, after a hard drive by Erin Schneider. But Marks answered with a three-point play, and Robinson stripped a Lady Colonel and went the distance for a layup that made it 36-26.

Wilkes would get no closer than eight the rest of the way as the Cougars poured it on. McDaniel's drive pushed the gap to 42-29 and Marks scored on back-to-back possessions to stretch it to 47-31.

Two months ago, MU held the Lady Colonels scoreless for the opening 6:30 of the game as they led early 18-0 and cruised to victory. This time around, Wilkes would score just once in the first 8:06 as Misericordia jumped out to a 13-2 advantage.

McDaniel's three-pointer made it 11-2; Kayla Sileo then drew a double-team and found Marks open underneath for an easy bucket that pushed the early gap to 13-2. Wilkes finally broke its drought but Courtney Sykes finished after her third offensive rebound in a minute stretch to push the score to 15-4.

Late in the first half the Lady Colonels would find their touch from behind the arc, keeping the game close. Megan Kazmerski's three-pointer with 8:12 remaining pulled the score back to 16-10. McDaniel answered immediately at the other end.

Sam Lynam made another long three to cut the deficit to eight, with Marks forcing a shot through two defenders at the other end to restore a double-digit Cougar lead. Kazmerski sank a triple in the final minute that kept the hosts within seven at the break, 31-24.

Wilkes' Whitney Connolly just missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds. Three other Lady Colonels- Lynam (15 points), Kazmerski (13) and Schneider (10) were also in double-figures for the hosts.

Misericordia improves to 13-7, 7-2 with the victory and holds a one-game lead in the Freedom Conference standings with five contests remaining. MU faces a huge road game at Eastern, Saturday at 1 PM.