Box Score The Misericordia University women's basketball team kept its post-season hopes alive with a hard-fought 78-76 win over Eastern, Wednesday night at the Anderson Center.

Sam Baro led four Cougars in double figures with 20 points and Hannah Seely added 19 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.

Katie Drayton had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Shannon Croasdale added 15 points.

The Cougars rallied from a nine-point deficit early in the first half to take a 39-36 lead at intermission and never trailed in the second half.

After a back-and-forth second half, Nikki Baro put back her own miss to give the Cougars a 73-67 lead with 3:25 to play.

Eastern scored five straight points to get within a point with 1:29 to go, but Croasdale answered with a short pull up jumper to make it 75-72 with 1:06 to play.

The Eagles closed within a point again on two free throws with less than a minute to play.

Drayton sank the first of two foul shots and Seely grabbed an offensive board on the second to set up to free throws from Croasdale and a 78-74 lead with 23 seconds remaining.

Eastern jumped out to a 19-10 lead in the first seven minutes, but the Cougars answered with seven straight points.

Croasdale drilled a three-pointer and Sam Baro converted a steal into a pull up jumper at the other end to get within 19-15.

Baro finished the run with two free throws to make it 19-17.

A three-pointer from the left win by Drayton pulled MU to within 23-20, but Eastern scored five straight to go ahead 28-20 with 6:34 to play in the half.

The Cougars used an 11-4 run over the next four minutes to pull even.

After two free throws by Seely, Baro made a fast break layup from Seely and converted the three-point play to get MU within three at 28-25.

Croasdale buried a three-pointer from the right win and Baro made two free throws to tie it, 32-32, with 2:56 left.

MU will travel to Delaware Valley for a key Freedom Conference contest, Saturday.