Joseph Baldachino led four players in double figures as the Misericordia University men's basketball team opened MAC Freedom play with a 93-83 win at King's, Wednesday.

Baldachino had 26 points and Derek Smith added 16.  Nick Hornung had 14 points and seven rebounds and Kevin Lazdowsky had 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

The Cougars never trailed as Baldachino opened the game with back-to-back three-pointers in the opening minute.

Hornung capped an 8-0 run with a pair of free throws and Daron Pierre gave the Cougars a 10-4 lead with 16:11 left in the first half.

Nate Kreitzer hit a three-pointer and Lazdowsky followed with a layup to give MU a 16-7 lead with 14:06 to go.

After King's got within four points, the Cougars used a 13-2 spurt to take a 32-17 lead with 7:12 to go in the first half.

Smith started and ended the run with three-pointers around a three-point play by Jake Bartholomew.

Baldachino and Lazdowsky hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Cougars their biggest lead of the half, 46-29, with 1:33 to go.

King's got within nine points early in the second half, but Baldachino scored five straight points and Kreitzer nailed a three-pointer to give MU a 60-41 lead with 15:25 to play.

The Monarchs rallied within nine points again with 8:07 remaining, but Smith, Lazdowsky and Baldachino all connected from deep to stretch the lead to 81-65 with 5:16 to go.

The Cougars will host Delaware Valley, Saturday at 3:00.