WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 2, 2019) – Freshman post player Jake Pawliczak posted his second double-double in the last three games for the King's College men's basketball team, but a 7-0 run midway through the second half lifted visiting Drew University to a 71-60 win in the final non-conference game of the 2018-19 season for King's.

Pawliczak has been playing well of late for the Monarchs (2-11), as the newcomer from Goshen, NY has averaged 15.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game over the last three contests. His 14 points marked the fifth time he's gotten into double-figures this season, while the 13 caroms he grabbed Wednesday evening were a career-high and the second-most of any Monarch in a game in 2018-19.

King's fell behind at the 19:06 mark of the first half after a three-pointer by Darius Reiter, but freshman Kevin Hunter hit his only field goal make of the night on the next possession to knot the game back up at 3. That would be the last time that the game was tied, as Drew scored nine of the next 11 points of the game to take a seven-point lead with 15:41 to go in the first half.

The Drew advantage would slowly build to a high mark of 13 points at 6:35 remaining in the first, as Mike Boice finished a layup in transition to make the score 32-19. The Monarchs responded though with a 10-2 run at the end of the stanza, pulling to within five at 34-29 at the break. Fast break points were the difference in the first half, as Drew posted a 16-4 edge in transition along with scoring 22 of its 34 points in the paint.

After the intermission, Drew opened the half hot hitting on five of its first seven field goals over the first 4:13 of the half to take a 46-33 lead. The Ranger (9-3) lead grew to as much as 16 points at 54-38 with 12:25 to go but the Monarchs refused to go away as King's made the score 57-51 at 7:41 of the game after a jumper by Josh Bailey.

The visiting Rangers scored six straight points to put the game back in double figures, and despite a late push the Monarchs were unable to pull the victory. Along with Pawliczak's strong night, King's got 12 points from junior Tyler Millan off the bench, as he made 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep along with connecting on all four of his free throws.

Junior Andrew Hudak finished with eight points, adding a game-high 15 rebounds on the night, which was a game-high for any Monarch this season. Junior Noah Tanner posted six points, four assists and two thefts as well for King's, while junior Joe Lonardi chalked up seven points and four rebounds in 14 minutes of action.

The Monarchs shot 35.5 percent (22-62) from the field on the night and won the rebounding battle 50-33. King's also got 27 points from its bench on Wednesday evening and posted a 13-1 edge in second-chance points.

Drew finished 26-of-59 from the floor (44.1 percent), which was aided by a 26-13 edge in fast break points. Guard Riley Collins just missed a triple double on Wednesday, as he posted 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds despite struggling from the floor (4-13, 0-7 3PT).

Darius Reiter posted a game-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, and Nate Aldrich finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Malachi Walker added 10 points, eight boards and four rejections, and Sky Walker came off the bench to net 10 points as well.

The Monarchs are off for a week before jumping back into Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action, traveling to Manhattanville College Wednesday, January 9 in Purchase, NY for league play.