JANUARY 17, 2018

KING'S MEN EDGED BY MISERICORDIA ON LATE RUN

DALLAS -- The host Misericordia University men's basketball team overcame a one-point deficit by outscoring King's College  17-9 over the final 4:09 of the game to post a back-and-forth 85-78 victory Wednesday night at the Anderson center in Dallas.

With the win Misericordia improved to 10-6 overall and 5-0 in MAC Freedom Conference play while King's slipped to 7-9 and 3-2 in league play.

The first half was played on virtually even terms throughout. After the score was tied 10-1 with 11:20 left in the opening stanza, the Monarchs used a 7-2 surge thanks to a three-pointer from Connor Callejas, one-of-two free throws by Lenny Radziak, and a Tony Maloney three-pointer to give the Monarchs a 17-12 lead with 8:25 on the clock.

The Cougars countered with a 5-0 spurt to tie the game at 17-17 on a three-pointer by Alec Rodway with 7:42 to go.

The Monarchs responded with consecutive buckets from Pat Mitchell and Joshua Bailey to move ahead 21-17, then after a Misericordia basket, James Willis canned a three-pointer to put the Monarchs ahead 24-19 at the 6:19 mark.

Misericordia answered with a 10-0 run to forge ahead 29-24 following a Jason Kenney lay-up with 4:51 remaining.  Callejas was fouled attempting a three-pointer and made all three attempts to bring King's within 29-27. 

The Monarchs would eventually battle back to tie the game at 34-34 with 1:41 left after an inside basket by Mitchell and a three-pointer from Tyler Millan. The Cougars would take a 35-34 lead into the break when Tony Harding made one-of-two foul shots with 1:20 left to score the final points of the half.

In the second half the teams traded baskets for for the first five minutes. With King's trailing 48-47 Millan canned a three-pointer, Bailey hit a short jumper, and Fazzini scored on a layup at 13:52 put the Monarchs ahead 54-48 at the 13:52 mark. A Radziak jumper with 12:56 remaining then gave King's a 58-52 lead. Maloney was later fouled shooting a three-pointer and made two-of-three attempts to up the King's lead to 60-52 with 11:47 to play.

But the Cougars battled back to tie the score at 66-66 with 6:34 to play following a traditional three-point play by Tony Harding.  After a King's turnover, Misericordia, took a 68-66 lead on a lay-up by Jason Kenney. But Callejas buried a three-pointer for the Monarchs to put King's back on top 69-68 with 5:31 remaining.

The Cougars, however, used a 14-6 run to forge ahead 83-74 three straight points by Kenney and an uncontested dunk by Harding with 0:39 left. After King's got a pair of foul shots from Callejas to bring the score to 83-76 at the 0:32 mark, Harding hit a pair of free throws with 0:20 on the clock to give Misericordia a 85-76 lead. Fazzini converted a lay-up with 0:14 to play.

Fazzini led King's with a career-high 28 points and six rebounds while Callejas added 16 points with three three-pointers Millan had 10 points as the final Monarch to score in double-figures.

Harding led Misericordia with 30 points while Kenney added 21, Tre Fields chipped in with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

King's will return to action Saturday with a 2:00 PM matchup at crosstown rival Wilkes University.