The Misericordia University women's basketball team used a huge second-half run to pull away from Wilkes and clinch a MAC Freedom postseason berth with a 60-36 win, Wednesday night at the Anderson Center.

Japriya Carroll led the Cougars with 12 points and Tessa Zamolyi added nine points and eight rebounds.

Tied 28-28 less than four minutes into the third quarter, the Cougars closed the period on a 17-4 run to take a 45-32 lead.

MU scored the first 11 points of the third quarter while holding Wilkes scoreless for nearly seven minutes to stretch the lead to 56-34.

Leanne Forsyth made a jumper inside the foul line to put the Cougars in front for good, 30-28, with 6:02 left in the third period.

Carmody followed with a fast break layup off a steal by Forsyth and Jordan Barth found Forsyth with a long outlet pass to make it 34-28.

After a pair of Wilkes free throws, the Cougars used a 9-2 run over the final 1:45 of the third quarter to take a 45-32 lead.

Kalynn Sefcik went coast-to-coast off a steal and Carroll sand a short jumper to beat the shot clock.

Paige Wampole found Zamolyi with a bounce pass along the baseline and Carroll drained a three-pointer from the left wing to make it 45-32.

The Cougars were even more impressive in the fourth quarter as the limited the Colonels to just four points.

Tied 8-8 in the first quarter, the Cougars scored seven straight points.

Zamolyi converted a put back into a three-point play and Carmody finished from the right block with a nice bounce pass from Wampole.

Carmody drilled an eight-footer, but the Colonels answered with five straight points to get within 15-12 after the first quarter.

Forsyth gave the Cougars a 22-17 lead with a baseline jumper off the glass midway through the second period, but Wilkes rallied to pull even, 24-24.

Zamolyi's floater put the Cougars back in front and they led 26-25 at halftime.

The Cougars improved to 19-3 overall and moved into second place in the MAC Freedom at 8-3.  Misericordia will visit DeSales, Saturday.