WILKES-BARRE – The top-seeded Wilkes University men's basketball team were outscored 40-27 in the second half as No. 4 seed Misericordia University pulled away to a 72-58 victory in a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Semifinal matchup at the Marts Center Wednesday night.

Wilkes fell to 18-8 overall this season while Misericordia improved to 16-10 and advanced to face DeSales University in the MAC Freedom championship game Saturday.

The Cougars led 4-2 after the first 3:39 of play but the Colonels went on a six-point run to take an 8-4 lead with 14:51 remaining in the first half. In the run, Zach Brunner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) connected on a jumper, Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) converted a layup, and Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) scored on the break after a steal by Landon Henry (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville). Wilkes would stretch its lead to a game-high six points at the 13:35 mark on two Mullins free-throws that made the score 12-6.

Misericordia answered with the next seven points to lead 13-12. The teams traded the lead four times until the Cougars scored five straight to take a 22-18 lead with 6:50 left in the half. Pecorelli answered with his first three-pointer of the game but Misericordia scored the next two baskets to build its largest first half lead at 26-21 with 4:08 still left on the clock.

It was then Wilkes turn on the run, with the Colonels going on an 8-2 spurt as they took back the lead on a Mullins jumper with 1:38 left until half. The lead would change three more times before the teams would head to the locker rooms with Misericordia leading 32-31.

Pecorelli had 11 points and Mullins added 10 for the Colonels while Jason Kenny scored 11 and Tony Harding put in nine for the Cougars in the first 20 minutes. Neither team shot the ball overly well with Wilkes at 13-of-33 (39.4%) and Misericordia at 11-of-28 (39.3%)

A Pecorelli trey put Wilkes ahead for the first time in the second half at 38-37 with 2:55 gone off the clock. Brunner would then break a 40-40 tie with a jumper and Tommy Bowen (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin)'s layup with 12:31 left put Wilkes ahead 44-40.

Misericordia then went on an extended 23-7 run to take the first double-digit lead of the game at 63-51 with just under four minutes left in the game.

Mullins made good on a layup out of a timeout to cut the lead back to 10 points but a Kenny slash down the lane put the Cougars up a game-high 13 to that point at 66-53 with 2:53 left. Marcus Robinson (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) made his first three-pointer and Mullins followed on the next possession with a layup to pull Wilkes back within eight points with 1:57 left before a Noah Rivera layup stopped the Wilkes momentum.

Mullins went 8-of-11 from the floor for 18 points and also grabbed six rebounds. Pecorelli finished with 16 points and Brunner had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Kenny finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds and Rivera also recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars. Harding was also in double-figures with 15 points.

Misericordia held a decisive advantage taking 31 free-throws to six for Wilkes. The Cougars converted on 23 of those trips to the line including going 4-of-4 in the final minute to keep the door shut on a Wilkes comeback.

The Colonels shot 25-of-65 (38.5%) compared to 22-of-54 (40.7%) for the Cougars.

Wilkes now awaits either an NCAA at-large selection or a berth into the ECAC Tournament.