WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes dug themselves a 20-point first half deficit and despite a frantic second half comeback, fell just short as Tyler Jackson (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill)'s game winning three-pointer at the buzzer clanged off the bottom side of the rim.  Misericordia survived the afternoon with a 79-77 road win.

Wilkes falls to 10-11 overall and 5-5 in the Freedom while Misericordia improves to 16-5 and 8-2 in the Freedom.

The Colonels jumped off to an 8-0 lead thanks to three-pointers from Tyler Jackson (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) and Steve Stravinski (Pittston, PA/Pittston) just two minutes into the contest.  Misericordia took the next shot (in what would be a 12 round grudge match) with an 8-0 run of their own to tie things up at 8-8 with 16:02 left in the first half.  Jackson was hot for the Colonels to start the game scoring nine of the teams first sixteen points.  Despite Jackson's hot shooting it was the Cougars who were dominating the play as they went on an 11-0 run to open up a 31-16 lead with 5:45 left in the half.  Jackson scored five quick points; however, the Cougars responded with an 11-3 run to close the half leading 44-24.

MU shot 56.7 percent (17-30) from the field and made 5-out-of-11 three's (45.5 percent) during the first 20 minutes of action.  Wilkes struggled shooting just 28.1 percent (9-32) from the floor and turned the ball over 11 times against the Freedom's most stout defense.  Jackson scored 14 points in the first half to single handily keep the Navy and Gold in it.

In a tale of two halves the Colonels came out blazing to start the second half with Zachary Brunner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg), Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood) and Jeremy Hartman (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional) all getting after it on the offensive end.  The Colonels made it an eight point deficit after a Jackson jumper with 11:18 remaining on the clock.  Jackson's jumper capped a 20-10 run to start the half.

The two teams traded baskets over the next three minutes before Jackson sank another three and Alec Wizar (Lebanon, PA/Annville Cleona) dialed up one from distance to cut the Cougars lead to 60-56 with 7:02 left to play.  Needing a big stop Griffin Sponaugle made a layup and two foul shots for the Cougars during a small 6-2 run that helped alleviate some of the pressure the Colonels were putting on them.  Stravinski nailed a three and was fouled on the play completing the four-point play with a foul shot trimming the Cougars lead to just four with 4:52 left in the game.

Sponaugle came up huge again for the Cougars with a corner three ball to give MU a 71-64 lead with under four minutes on the clock.  Down seven Hinkel made a two point layup and Wizar a three-pointer with :26 seconds giving the Colonels a shot at a miracle comeback as they trailed 74:72.  Jesse Urich made two big foul shots for the Cougars before another trey from Wizar cut the lead to one at 76-75 with :10 seconds left in the game.  Sponaugle made both foul shot attempts and Jackson was fouled on the ensuing possession sinking both to keep it a one point game at 78-77.  Busacca was fouled on the ensuing inbounds making one of two for a 79-77 Cougars lead.  Jackson got the inbounds took it down the right side of the court and heaved up a contested desperation three-pointer as the buzzer sounded for the Colonels.  Jackson's shot came up just short as MU held on for the road win.

Wilkes scored 53 second half points, making 47.4 percent (18-38) of their shots and 66.7 percent (8-12) of their three's.  Misericordia as a team only gives up 59.6 points per-game as they boast one of the nation's best defensive teams.  Wilkes made 14 three-pointers on the day and was led Jackson's career high 23 points.  Wizar finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Hinkel added 10 points and four boards.

Misericordia shot 47.2 percent (25-53) from the floor and 37.5 percent (6-16) from three-point range.  MU made 85.2 percent (23-27) of their foul shot attempts including 18-out-of-21 during the second half.  Sponaugle led MU with 20 points, while Busacca finished with 19 points and seven assists.  Steve Ware scored 15 including his 1,000^th career point in a Cougars jersey.

Wilkes will travel to DeSales on Wednesday for an important Freedom Conference road game.  Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. in Center Valley, Pa.