Box Score Delaware Valley scored 22 points off of Cougar turnovers as the Misericordia University men's basketball team dropped a 61-58 Freedom Conference decision to the Aggies on Saturday evening at the Anderson Center.
 
Justin Grotevant poured in a game and career-high 22 points on 8-10 shooting and also grabbed seven rebounds while Steve Ware added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Cougars.
 
Grotevant would give the Cougars an early 2-0 lead on their first possession on a feed from Sean Bieski, but the Aggies would answer with a Jay Donovan three to take the lead at 3-2.
 
A Ware jumper and another Grotevant layup gave MU the lead back at 6-3, but Delaware Valley would respond with a 9-2 run to take their largest lead of the half at 12-8 with 14:20 remaining.
 
The Aggies' lead would be short lived, as Matt Greene and Anthony Sergio hit threes on back-to-back possessions for the Cougars to net the score at 14-14, and after a Patrick Widdoss free throw, a pair of Grotevant layups extended MU's lead to 19-14 with 11:02 to play in the half.
 
A Grotevant three-pointer with 6:57 to play would give MU it's largest lead of the half at 24-18, but Delaware Valley chipped back in, tying the game at 24-24 on a Daulton Derr three-pointer. Both teams would trade baskets before a Ware jumper with 52 seconds remaining gave the Cougars a 30-28 halftime lead.
 
Grotevant led the Cougars with 11 first-half points on a perfect 5-5 shooting while Ware added 10 points and four rebounds. MU shot 45 percent from the floor and outrebounded Delaware Valley 21-15, but nine first-half turnovers allowed the Aggies to stay in the game.
 
Delaware Valley opened the second half on a 7-0 run to take a 35-30 lead with 14:39 to play as the Cougars were 0-5 from the floor and committed four turnovers in their first nine possessions.
 
The Cougars clawed back in, as a Sergio jumper capped a 12-4 run to put MU back on top 42-39 with 10:59 to play. A Zach Sly layup would bring the Aggies back within a point and they retook the lead at 44-42 when Donovan hit all three free throw attempts after being fouled while shooting behind the arc.
 
Grotevant jumpers on the next two MU possessions would each tie the score, and a Greene three answered a pair of Sly free throws to give MU a 49-48 lead with 6:27 remaining.
 
A Ware three-point play would put the Cougars on top by four, but the Aggies used a 10-2 run to retake control of the game, and Delaware Valley made 3-4 free throws down the stretch before keeping MU from getting a shot on their final possession.
 
Donovan led the Aggies with 17 points while Sly and Derr added 15 and 10, respectively, off the bench.
 
The Cougars will return to action on Tuesday when they travel to local rival King's for an 8:00 PM contest.