The Misericordia University men's basketball team defeated Lebanon Valley, 78-63, Saturday afternoon on Doc Mould Court.

Matt Prociak led the Cougars with 22 points and five rebounds. Jack Gallagher and D.J. Orloff each scored 11 points while Arvel Chandler added 10 points.

Misericordia came out of the gates swinging with a 7-0 run. Gallagher scored the first four points on a free throw and a three-pointer from the left wing.

Prociak followed with a three-pointer from the right wing with 17:51 left in the half.

The Flying Dutchmen responded with a few baskets, but Misericordia extended the lead to 15-6 as Prociak and Eli Stoute drilled three-pointers from the left wing and Gallagher converted a turnaround layup.

Lebanon Valley cut the Cougars lead to four, but Misericordia answered with a 13-0 run.

Chandler scored the first five points with a three-pointer from the left corner and two free throws and Orloff added a jumper from under the basket.

A Ryan Nasuti three-pointer from the right wing along with an Orloff layup and free throw, put the Cougars ahead 30-13 with 8:01 remaining in the first half.

Misericordia closed the half on a 7-2 scoring run.  Orloff hit a short jumper and Nate Townsend knocked down a jumper from the left elbow. Daryll Wright capped the run with a deep three-pointer, sending the Cougars into halftime with a 42-38 lead.

The Cougars opened the second half with an alley-oop layup by Gallagher and a Prociak layup off a long pass.

Lebanon Valley cut the lead to 12, but Misericordia scored the next five points on a Nasuti three-pointer from the left corner and a Prociak putback layup, extending the lead to 53-36 with 14:36 remaining.

After a brief Lebanon Valley run, Prociak scored the Cougars next six points with a three-pointer and four free throws, giving Misericordia a 64-48 lead midway through the half.

A Wright jumper in the paint and another Prociak three-pointer pushed the lead to 17. Chandler followed with back-to-back baskets—a layup off a long pass and a three-pointer from the left corner—to give the Cougars a 77-55 advantage with 4:19 left. Misericordia hit the rest of their free throws to ice the game.