The Misericordia University men's basketball team dropped its third game in a row with a 59-53 defeat at Wilkes Wednesday night.

Robbie Johnson drained three consecutive shots to score six at the start of the game, and Andy Smith followed five minutes later with three scores of his own. Grouped with a J from Ethan Eichhorst, the Cougars led 14-4.

But Marcus Little led the Cougars offense in the half with 10 points—eight on free throws. Little put on a show at the line during the final 10 minutes of the half.

The Cougars headed to halftime up 31-26, but they lost that control during the second half. Within two minutes, the home team was within a point of the Cougars.

Down 37-35, Vinny Baumunk drained a three on the Colonels defenders, but the team quickly took revenge with a 7-0 run to take a 44-38 lead.

Baumunk set up from beyond the arc and made it rain to bring his team with three. One Colonel free throw later, Johnson charged to the hoop and sank a layup to make it 45-43.

But in the final five minutes, the Cougars had to count heavily on free throws to keep them in the game. Baumunk, Johnson and Little each drained pairs. Johnson and Little each split the final four points of offense on a pair of layups.

Johnson and Little finished with 14 points apiece. Baumunk followed with 10.

Baumunk led with 12 rebounds, and Johnson with three steals.

The Cougars (7-7, 1-4) heads to New Jersey Saturday to face FDU-Florham at 3:00 p.m.