The Misericordia University men's basketball team used a second-half three-point barrage to defeat rival King's 78-63 and clinch a Freedom Conference playoff spot. 

The Cougars improved to 14-10, 8-5 on the season by dropping 8-of-16 treys in the final period, after shooting just 2-of-10 from behind the arc in the first half. 

Senior Dom Del Prete had a game-high 22 points while sophomore Jeff Slanovec sunk four threes in the second half to finish with 17 points. Robbie Johnson had 11 points and four assists, while Ethan Eichhorst added 10 points.

Trailing by one early in the second half, Johnson and Marcus Little each dropped in three-pointers to put the Cougars up 42-39.

Two consecutive steals (by Little and Mark Williams) led to Slanovec buckets that stretched Misericordia's lead to 47-40. Mike Wagner answered for King's, but Slanovec made another trey, giving him points on three straight possessions.

Sean Bieski found Del Prete with a great cross-court pass to put Misericordia up 52-43. King's then staged a comeback attempt culminating in another Wagner three and a fast break basket from Kyle Stackhouse that pulled the Monarchs back within two.

But after converting three straight two-point buckets, the Cougars went back outside the arc, as threes from Williams, Slanovec (twice) and Eichhorst put MU up 76-58 with three minutes to play. Del Prete hit a baseline fadeaway to stretch the lead to 20, and the Misericordia fans were celebrating their first Freedom Conference playoff appearance in this, their second season in the league. 

Wagner led the Monarchs with 14 points, while Dan Maguschak added 13. Stackhouse had nine points and eight assists on the night. 

Earlier this year in Wilkes-Barre, the Cougars had jumped out to an early lead over the Monarchs only to go on and lose the game. This time, it was King's that staked themselves an 8-0 first half advantage before Williams got Misericordia on the board with a step-back jumper.

Later, Bieski and Del Prete fought for tough baskets that cut the King's lead to 16-12. After MU drew an offensive foul, Williams made a pair of free throws. Finally, Eichhorst tied the game at 16 with a mid-range shot. 

The teams traded baskets the rest of the half, with MU grabbing the lead just once, on a pair of Eichhorst free throws with six minutes remaining. King's led by four at the half after Maguschak's three-pointer in the final minute. 

Misericordia is currently in second place in the league standings, and concludes its regular season schedule on Saturday, at home to Manhattanville. A win and an Eastern loss to either Wilkes or Delaware Valley would give the Cougars home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.