Box Score A pair of double-doubles by Cael Evans and Steve Ware weren't enough, as the Misericordia University men's basketball team couldn't hold on to a second-half lead and fell to Susquehanna University, 61-56, on Monday night at the Anderson Center.
 
Both teams got off to a slow start with each team managing just two field goals over the first eight and a half minutes of action. The Crusaders used a 10-2 run spanning nearly four minutes to take a 14-7 lead with 9:16 remaining in the half.
 
Justin Grotevant closed the gap to five with a pair of free throws, but Susquehanna hit threes on four of their next five possessions to take their largest lead of the half at 26-14 with 5:53 remaining, prompting Coach Trevor Woodruff to call a timeout.
 
The teams traded misses out of the timeout, but a Travis Buckner three-pointer on MU's next possession sparked an 11-0 Cougar run to close the half, as the Cougars trailed just 26-25 at the break.
 
MU shot just 30 percent from the floor in the first half but held Susquehanna to just 32 percent and outrebounded the Crusaders 23-16.
 
After Spencer Ortmyer converted a layup on SU's opening possession of the second half, the Cougars rattled off eight straight points, keyed by a pair of Matt Greene three's to take a 33-28 lead with 16:13 remaining.
 
A layup and a three-point play by Ortmyer tied the game at 33-33, but the Cougars once again answered with a 15-4 run, capped off by a Jesse Urich three that gave the Cougars a 48-37 lead – their largest of the game—with 8:46 remaining.
 
The Crusaders would not stop fighting, battling back with an 15-4 run of their own to tie the game at 52-52 with just 4:32 to play.
 
An Evans block sparked a Cougar fast break which Evans finished with a layup to put MU back on top 54-52, but SU's Harvey Pannell answered with a jumper to net the score at 54-54. Evans scored again on the Cougars next possession, but Ortmyer  answered to tie the game at 56-56.
 
The Cougars turned the ball over on their next possession, and the Crusaders grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds before getting fouled with 54 seconds remaining. Wally Rutecki converted both free throws to give the SU a 58-56 lead. MU couldn't convert on the ensuing possession, and the Crusaders hit three of four from the line in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
 
Evans led the Cougars with 14 points, 13 rebounds and a pair of blocks while Ware added 10 points, 13 rebounds and four steals.
 
Ortmyer led Susquehanna with 20 points on 8-10 shooting to go with eight rebounds, and Harvey Pannell added 10 points off the bench.
 
The Cougars shot just 32 percent for the game and were 13-22 from the free throw line (59.1%).
 
MU will have nearly two weeks off before they return to action at Lebanon Valley at 2:00 PM on December 16.