DALLAS (PA) – Misericordia University closed with an 11-4 run as the host Cougars pulled away to a 79-68 victory over Delaware Valley College in a Freedom Conference game.

Misericordia (8-5, 2-1) was up by just two in the opening half when it used an 11-2 run to take a 24-13 advantage. The Cougars eventually took a 36-26 lead into the break.

Misericordia's lead ballooned to as many as 11 in the second half, but the Aggies (6-6, 1-2) chipped away and pulled to within four on two occasions, the last at 68-64 on a Chris Ellis layup with 2:09 remaining. However, the Cougars scored six straight for 10-point lead. Jeremy Beckett responded with a putback for Delaware Valley, but Misericordia countered with five more points before another Beckett putback with five seconds to go ended the scoring.

The Cougars' Dom Del Prete went to the foul line 18 times to match Delaware Valley's entire total for the game. He sank 15 of them and finished with a game-high 28 points. Ethan Eichhorst added 15 points while Robbie Johnson hit double digits with 12 points.

James Jones notched 23 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Aggies. Beckett came off the bench to add 10 points and seven rebounds while Ellis finished with eight points and a season-high 11 boards.