A furious second-half rally came up short for the second straight game as the Misericordia University men's basketball team dropped its MAC Freedom opener, 81-78, Wednesday night at Wilkes.

Stone McCreary scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Cougars and Noah Rivera had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Tony Harding added 13 points and Jason Kenny had 11 points and four assists.

Down 68-54 with 7:34 to play, McCreary hit three straight three-pointers in less than two minutes to get the Cougars within 70-63.

Wilkes stretched the lead back to 74-63 with 2:23 remaining answered with a three-pointer and fed Rivera for a layup to cut the margin to 74-68 with 1:20 left.

Patrick Douthit answered a Wilkes' basket with two free throws make it 76-70 with less than a minute to play.

Following a Wilkes' free throw, Kenny and McCreary sandwiched a pair of layups around a Colonels' basket to get within 79-74 with :20 to go.

After the Colonels converted 1-2 from the foul line, McCreary hit another three-pointer to get to 80-77.

Wilkes was whistled for a technical foul and Kenny converted from the line to make it 80-78 with just :08 left.

The Colonels again went 1-2 from the line, but MU's potential game-tying three at the buzzer was off the mark.

Wilkes led for most of the game after taking an 8-6 lead on a three-pointer just three minutes into the game.

The Colonels eventually built a 32-21 lead, but MU rallied over the final 7:23 of the first half.

McCreary hit a three-pointer and converted the four-point play to pull MU within, 32-25.

Tyerell Mann's fast-break layup and three-pointer got the Cougars within 40-35 with 2:01 to play in the first half.

Following a Wilkes' basket, two free throws by Rivera and Foster Clark's layup made it 42-39 with under a minute remaining.

Kenny's jumper closed out the half with the Cougars trailing 42-41.

Wilkes used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to build a 66-52 lead before the Cougars rallied.

MU, 4-3 (0-1), will visit FDU-Florham, Saturday.