Sean Bieski's block with three seconds remaining was the key play as the Misericordia University men's basketball team held on for a huge 59-56 victory at Eastern, Saturday.

The Cougars never trailed in the game but were clinging to a one-point lead in the dying seconds. Eastern's Martin Soaries drove to the hoop but Bieski got a hand on the ball for his fourth block of the game and the most important of his career.

Freshman Matt Greene had a huge game, totaling 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Junior Ethan Eichhorst also had 19 points to go with seven rebounds, while senior Robbie Johnson added 11 points.

MU led 43-37 before Eastern's Alex Nelson hit a three to end a scoreless streak of 6:28 for the Eagles and make it a one-possession game.

The Cougars responded with two Eichhorst treys sandwiching a Bieski jumper to take a 51-40 lead. The Eagles kept fighting however, and went on a quick 10-2 run before Eichhorst hit a huge jumper to make it 55-50 with 53 seconds to play.

Nelson kept firing from long-range, draining two more threes including a 30-footer with 12 seconds remaining to make it a one-point game. After a Misericordia missed free throw, Soaries drove in for the win but was turned away by Bieski.

Early in the first half, MU captain Frank Nutt was fouled behind the arc and made all three free throws to give his team an early 8-2 advantage. From then on it was all Greene, with the rookie draining a pair of three-pointers to maintain the six-point gap at 14-8.

A strange sequence ensued with neither team scoring a basket for six-and-a-half minutes. Greene broke the slump with a rare four-point play that made it 19-12 MU.

The contest was tied at 24, 26, and 27 but the Cougars never went behind and led by five at the break after a Johnson three.

Misericordia improves to 13-8, 6-4 with the victory as the Cougars sit a half-game behind league leaders DeSales and Delaware Valley (who play each other tomorrow). MU hosts DeSales, Wednesday at 8 PM.