DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's basketball team built a 19-point lead by halftime and held off visiting Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) freedom foe Misericordia University down the stretch, en route to an89-84 home triumph.

In front of a packed student section at James Work Gymnasium, the Aggies  improved to 9-7 overall and 5-4 in MAC Freedom play while the Cougars dropped to 5-11 and 4-5 in league play.

DelVal shot 52.9% (18-for-34) from the field and 75% (9-for-12) from the free throw line while holding Misericordia to just nine field goals on 31 attempts (29%) with four treys, and a 7-for-12 effort from the charity stripe. The Cougars outrebounded the Aggies, 28-16, but DelVal forced the visitors into 14 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes while only giving up 4.

Misericordia held a 3-2 lead after Elijah Rosenthal connected on his first 3-point attempt in the early going. The Aggies fired back with a 29-5 run over the next 11:13 and never relinquished the lead the rest of the day. Eight different players scored in the run and the defense forced eight turnovers and allowed just two field goals on 18 attempts. That gave DelVal a 31-8 lead with 8:19 left in the half and it closed the stanza strong to take a 48-29 lead at the break.

The Aggies maintained a 16-point lead with 9:36 left in regulation, but Misericordia chipped away and used a 16-6 run over the next 3:42 to pull within six, 78-72. The Cougars went 9-for-10 from the free throw line in that run and a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.

Godly Marc and Pernell Ghee hit consecutive layups to get the lead back to double digits with just over three minutes to play.

Misericordia refused to go away as Rosenthal hit a layup then found Joseph Baldachino for a trey. Moments later Nate Kreitzer capped a 7-0 run with a layup and the Cougars trailed 82-79 with 1:44 left.

The teams trade treys and it remained a three point game with under a minute to play. Marc converted another tough layup after euro stepping to the rim to make it 87-82 with 44 seconds left.

DelVal called timeout, but the Cougars got a layup from Rosenthal to get within three again with 23 seconds on the clock. The Aggies kept the ball away from Misericordia before it fouled Paulus with 16 seconds left. The senior knocked down both free throws to seal the game for his squad with an 89-84 triumph.

Marc led DelVal with 15 points and five assists with three steals while Paulus finished with 13 points three assists and two steals. Ghee added 12 and five rebounds and Nestor Diaz shot 5-for-6 for 10 points with four rebounds. The Aggies had 14 steals as a team and forced 21 turnovers while only surrendering 12.

Misericordia placed four players in double figures led by Lazdowsky's 17 points and 10 rebounds with four assists. Rosenthal finished with 15 points and seven rebounds as the Cougars won the battle on the glass, 50-32.

DelVal will be back in action on Wednesday when they welcome in FDU-Florham for an 8 p.m. home tip.