Box Score Junior guard Joe Busacca scored 26 points on 9-12 shooting to help Misericordia to a season-opening 67-60 win over Marywood at the 22^nd Annual McCarthy Tire Laurel Line Basketball Tournament.

After seeing a 31-25 halftime lead turn into a 41-37 deficit with 11:11 to play, Erik Kerns hit one of two free throws before Busacca made one of his six three-pointers to tie the game at 41 all.

Just minutes later, Busacca hit three more triples on three consecutive possessions to help put the game out of reach and give MU a 57-49 lead.

Marywood cut it to 59-55 after a Shane Letthand three with 2:51 to play but would not get any closer.

Misericordia raced out an early 20-8 lead in the first half after reserve guard Anthony Sergio scored eight points in a two and a half minute span.

Marywood chipped away after Matthew Clark scored seven of his team-high 17 points to make it 28-25 with 1:51 remaining. One of the biggest plays of the night for the Cougars came right before the half when Kerns converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give MU the six-point advantage they carried into the break.

Kerns (10) and Sergio (11) were the only Cougars besides Busacca in double-figures. Cael Evans and freshman Andrew Moran led the way with seven boards apiece while senior Matt Greene had seven assists.

Misericordia shot 50 percent (11-22) from behind the arc and 43.6 percent from the field. The Cougar defense forced the Pacers into 17 turnovers.

Misericordia will play Baptist Bible on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the tournament title while the Pacers will square off with Pitt-Bradford at 4 p.m in the consolation.

Baptist Bible defeated the Panthers 91-80 earlier today.