The Misericordia University men's basketball team shot just 34.3% in the second half as the Cougars fell 77-64, Thursday at Wilkes.

Junior Ethan Eichhorst led MU with 17 points. Senior Robbie Johnson had 12 points and four assists, while Jeff Slanovec (13 points) and Matt Greene (10 points) were also in double figures for the visitors.

Greene had a great stretch to begin the second half, first leaping to finish off a drive and tie the game at 36. He then found Johnson on the fast break to go ahead, and dropped in a trey that put the Cougars up five, 43-38.

The Colonels kept pace through Dallas, PA native Chris DeRojas, who finished a three-point play to tie and hit a runner the next time down the floor to re-take a 45-43 lead.

Slanovec twice gave Misericordia a one-point advantage, first with a trey and then following Johnson's stolen inbounds pass to go up 50-49.

It was the final time MU would lead however, and again DeRojas (29 points) was the thorn in Misericordia's side, driving for a tough two and a 55-50 lead. Wilkes eventually went on a 14-3 run to pull away.

Eichhorst had scored 10 of Misericordia's first 14 points as the Cougars jumped out an early 14-7 lead. A nice spin move by the junior got things going, before he finished off a great backdoor pass from Slanovec to make it 8-5.

Eichhorst would take on two defenders and score on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 14-7.  DeRojas answered with a three for Wilkes, before Slanovec and Paul Huch traded bombs.

A 25-footer from Slanovec gave MU a 20-15 advantage. Wilkes would rally and take the lead behind guard Tyler Breznitzky, who sank a three then stripped his man and converted the lay-up to put the Colonels ahead 22-21.

Later in the first half, Greene sank a big three to tie the game at 26-all. Wilkes would hold a slim 36-34 lead at the break.

Misericordia falls to 12-8, 5-4 with the loss, and falls into a tie for third-place with the 5-4 Colonels (4-4 Manhattanville plays later tonight). The Cougars face a massive trip to play 4-5 Eastern, Saturday in a rematch of last season's Freedom Conference semifinal.