WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Wilkes University erased an 18-point first-half deficit, but the Rangers held on down the stretch to earn a 78-75 Landmark Conference victory Tuesday evening.
 
Junior guard Pat Higgins hit the shot of the night for the Rangers, draining a pull-up jumper from the left elbow with 22 seconds left to set the final score. Drew then survived two potential game-tying 3-pointers in the last six seconds before sophomore forward Kevin Cronin hauled in a rebound as time expired.
 
With the win, the Rangers (12-1, 5-1) have posted the best start through 13 games in team history.
 
Cronin and junior guard Papie Roberts scored 14 points apiece for the Rangers, who were playing Wilkes as a conference opponent for the first time since Feb. 17, 2007, when both schools were members of the MAC Freedom Conference. The Colonels are competing in their first year as a member of the Landmark Conference.
 
Senior guard Andrew Turco added 11 points for Drew while sophomore forward David Musial recorded six rebounds and four steals.
 
Trent Fisher paced Wilkes (11-3, 4-3) with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
 
A 3-pointer from freshman guard Eli Yusavage gave the Rangers their largest lead of the night (47-29) with 1:16 left in the first half. But the Colonels scored the last four points of the period to make it 47-33 at the break.
 
An old-fashioned 3-point play from Cronin handed Drew a 54-41 lead with 16:44 remaining, but that's when Wilkes embarked on its big comeback. The Colonels reeled off a 15-3 run over the next 5:23, coming all the way back to take the lead on a 3-ball from Joey Zvorsky. However, Turco answered with a trey on the ensuing trip down the floor as the Rangers reclaimed the lead for good.
 
Musial followed up with a steal and fastbreak dunk to make it 61-57 with 10:30 on the clock. However, it would remain close the rest of the way. A driving layup from junior guard Josh Kline made it 72-66 with 5:01 left, and it was a five-point game when Roberts splashed in a jumper with 2:51 showing. However, the Colonels answered with back-to-back buckets from Lucas Lesko to nudge to within one (76-75) with 1:14 to go.
 
The two sides then exchanged missed backets, and Yusavage gathered a key rebound off a missed layup with 44 ticks showing. Drew Head Coach Michael McSloy then called a timeout, setting up Higgins' clutch basket.
 
The Rangers trailed just once in the opening half, when it was 9-8 three and a half minutes into the contest. Cronin answered with consecutive 3-pointers, with the second one giving his team the lead for the remainder of the period.
 
Drew led just 17-15 with 13:02 on the first-half clock before using a 13-3 run to open up some breathing room. Five different Rangers scored during the spurt, which was capped by a Cronin fastbreak layup that made it 30-18 with 8:13 to go in the half.
 
Wilkes pulled to within seven before the Rangers surged again, this time with a 17-6 outburst that gave them their 18-point advantage. The big push was sparked by three straight 3-pointers from Cronin, Yusavage, and Turco.
 
The Rangers continue their three-game week on Friday, when they visit Juniata College at 2 p.m. in another Landmark Conference affair.