The Misericordia University men's basketball team survived a wild finish to clinch a Freedom Conference playoff berth with an 86-81 victory over King's, Tuesday night in Wilkes-Barre.

Senior Robbie Johnson scored 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting to go with seven assists. Junior Ethan Eichhorst had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while classmate Jeff Slanovec added 15 points.

The Cougars led by as much as 15 in the second half before the Monarchs reeled them in. A frantic final four minutes saw the teams combine for five three-point plays and two three-pointers.

With MU clinging to a 70-65 lead with 3:50 left, there were four consecutive and-ones, beginning with Eichhorst. The sequence continued with Nick Reisig, Johnson and Kevin Conroy each finishing three-point plays to maintain the five-point gap.

Johnson executed a tough ball fake in the post to make it 78-71, and Kyle Hammonds answered with a three for King's at the other end. Johnson came up with yet another three-point play, but Hammonds was hot and swished another trey to make it 81-77 with 1:27 to play.

Yet again Johnson answered, but the Monarchs fought to within two points in the final seconds, before free throws from Sean Bieski and Eichhorst locked up the win and the playoff spot.

The victory came against a King's team that was fighting for its survival, as the Monarchs were eliminated with the loss and victories elsewhere by Wilkes and Delaware Valley.

Scott Huddle's set shot four minutes into the second half had made it 47-34 Misericordia, and Johnson twice converted on the fast break to give MU leads of 15 points. The second, a nice up-and-under, pushed the score to 55-40.

The Monarchs then made their move, with two threes from Matt Fiorino sandwiching a Bieski basket to pull King's to within 57-49. Frank Nutt sank a huge three-pointer but Conroy scored a pair of buckets to cut the gap to seven points, 62-57.

Kyle Stackhouse's pull-up two made it 62-57, and Conroy hit a pair of free throws to pull to within three at 66-63. With momentum running right in the Cougars' faces it was freshman Matt Greene who had ice in his veins, knocking down a trey to restore a six-point Misericordia lead.

The Cougars shot an impressive 50% (6-of-12) from behind the arc in the first half, jumping out to a 41-28 lead at the break.

Greene set the tone from downtown just 20 seconds in. Slanovec knocked down a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to make it 8-4 Misericordia, and another three from the junior pushed MU's lead to 13-8 and started a Cougar run.

Bieski followed with consecutive buckets, and an open trey from Johnson made it 20-10. Eichhorst's tough follow-up pushed the gap to 24-10, and Chris Undersinger's three completed a 17-2 run for the visitors.

Fiorino hit a pair of three-pointers to keep King's in the game, but Eichhorst answered with a block that he took coast-to-coast for two and a 31-18 MU advantage. Another three from Greene, six minutes before halftime, gave Misericordia a 34-18 lead.

The Cougars improve to 15-9, 8-5 and sit in a three-way tie for second place in the Freedom Conference with Wilkes and Delaware Valley. MU travels to Manhattanville Saturday.