Center Valley, PA (February 23, 2011) – A 19-4 run to end the half and a 6-0 spurt to begin the second half put the DeSales University men's basketball team up 11 points after trailing by 10 points late in the first half leading the Bulldogs past Misericordia University, 78-69, and into the Freedom Conference Championship game for the fifth straight season.
The Bulldogs (19-7 overall) will be in search of their third straight crown on Saturday as they travel to top seeded Delaware Valley College, a 69-66 winner over Wilkes on Wednesday night, with the Freedom Conference Championship and automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament on the line. Game time is set for 2:00 pm in James Work Gymnasium.
Sophomore Brett Moyer led the way on Wednesday night in Billera Hall, netting 23 points and pulling down eight rebounds, while senior Brian Hunter added 20 points and seven assists in the win. Freshman Mike Coleman totaled 12 points off the bench and fellow freshmen Paul Pammer (9 points) and Kyle Hash (6 points) also played for the Bulldogs.
Junior Ethan Eichhorst finished with 19 points and six rebounds, junior Jeff Slanovec tallied 13 points, and senior Robbie Johnson added 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for the Cougars (15-11 overall).
The Bulldogs led early (11-8) on a three-pointer from Hunter before the Cougars used a 17-4 run over the next eight minutes to take a 25-15 lead with 6:08 left in the opening half.
DeSales, however, responded using a 19-4 run to end the half to take a 34-29 lead into the locker room. Six different players scored during the run with junior Bob Zanneo and Hash each connecting on three-pointers and Hunter finishing off the run with two three's to end the half, including one from well behind the three-point arc.
Six straight points to open the second half pushed the lead up to 11 points (40-29) with 17:20 left to play. A three-pointer from Johnson two possessions later for the Cougars made it an eight-point game but consecutive lay-ups from Moyer and two Pammer free throws pushed the margin up to 14 points and never got any closer than nine points four times over the final minute as DeSales iced the game with 12 foul shots over the final 1:31.
DeSales shot 43.6 percent for the game and out-rebounded Misericordia 40-32. The Bulldogs took excellent care of the ball, committing just 10 turnovers and handed 18 assists on 24 made baskets. Misericordia shot just 37.9 percent from the field and were just 6-for-29 from three-point land. DSU was 24-of-30 from the free throw line in the win.