Box Score Steve Ware was one of four Cougar players in double-figures as the Misericordia University men's basketball team earned a much needed 74-60 win at Eastern on Wednesday.

The win moves the Cougars to 6-7 overall and 1-2 in league play while the loss drops the Eagles to 7-7 and 1-2 in the Freedom.

Ware had a game-high 22 points along with 13 rebounds and five assists. The Cougars also got production from the backcourt, getting 13 points from Joe Busacca and 11 from senior Matt Greene.

Erik Kerns chipped in with 10 while Cael Evans had nine boards in the frontcourt.

Misericordia ran out to an early 6-0 lead, getting a bucket from Kerns and back-to-back layups from Ware to start the game. MU then swelled the lead to 15-3 with 14 minutes left.

Eastern went on an offensive spurt of its own, going on a 27-11 run over the next 11-plus minutes to pull ahead 30-26, but MU answered with a free throw by Ware, and three-point play by Busacca to tie the game.

A jumper at the buzzer gave Eastern a two-point cushion at the break, and the Eagles scored eight of the first 12 points in the second to take a 40-34 lead with 15 minutes left.

The teams traded three-pointers before Ware turned the momentum with a layup and big block on the defensive end that led to a Green three to pull MU within one.

Busacca hit a layup and Greene followed with his third three of the half to put the Cougars up 47-43.

Eastern cut it to two at 50-48 but MU pulled away after two more Ware buckets and a pair of free throws by Kerns.

Misericordia was 20-26 at the charity stripe for the day, using the free-throw line to seal the game in the final minutes.

MU will travel to FDU-Florham on Saturday.