The Misericordia men's basketball team fell to DeSales, 70-62, in a hard-fought contest, Saturday afternoon in the Anderson Center.
Prior to the game MU celebrated Senior Appreciation Day in honor of Zach Brennan, Mario Delker, Tony Harding, Bryce Mondorff and Noah Rivera.
Rivera led the Cougars with 22 points and 16 rebounds while surpassing 1,000 career points on a free throw late in the game.
Mondorff added five points, three rebounds and two blocks while Brennan had five points. Nate Kreitzer had six points and four assists.
Brennan hit a nice hook shot after driving the basket three minutes into the first half to get the Cougars within 9-4.
After leaving the game due an injury on the game's first possession, Rivera came back and followed suit with a hook shot after powering through two defenders to make it 9-6 with 16:10 to go.
Brennan gave the Cougars a 12-11 lead after Rivera found him for a corner three-pointer.
Mondorff received a pass down low and shook a defender before tossing one off the glass to give MU a 19-17 lead halfway through the first. Moments later Kreitzer rifled a pass to Rivera who laid one in for a 24-23 lead.
Misericordia went into the locker room at the half with a 40-37 lead.
Mondorff kicked things off in the second half with a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Eight minutes into the second half, Diby Keita collected his own rebound and hustled to the basket for the putback for a 51-47 lead.
Rivera netted his 1,000thpoint on a free throw to extend the Cougars lead to 52-47.
DeSales broke a 58-58 lead with four minutes left and kept the Cougars at bay for the remainder of the game.​
