The men's basketball championship game of the 36th Scotty Wood Tournament was one of the most exciting ever, as Muhlenberg came back from a 23-point first-half deficit to have a chance to tie in the final minutes before falling to Misericordia, 104-99.

The 203 combined points were the most ever in a Scotty Wood title game.

Sophomore Matt Gnias and senior JeanLee Baez were named to the all-tournament team. Gnias recorded his first double-double with career highs of 25 points and 10 assists a night after his 16-point, 9-assist effort vs. SUNY New Paltz. His 19 total assists set a Scotty Wood Tournament record. Baez scored in double figures for the second straight game with 15 points; he shot 76.5 percent from the field in two tournament contests.

Junior Brendan Hughes also established a career high, scoring 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range, while sophomore Ryan Gaynor (pictured above) tied his 24-hour-old career high of 10 points.

Senior Owen McLeod added 12 points to give the Mules (1-2) five players in double figures. Junior Erik Werheim made his first career three-pointer and finished with seven to go along with 11 rebounds.

The Cougars (2-1), a unanimous pick to repeat as MAC Freedom champions, led 45-22 with 7:49 left in the first half before Muhlenberg went on a 19-6 run - featuring two three-pointers by Hughes, one by Gnias and one by senior Nick Rindock - to cut the deficit to 10. Misericordia made three free throws with three-tenths of a second left in the first half to go into the break with a 65-52 lead.

The margin swelled to 19 early in the second half before the Mules came back again. A three-pointer by senior Nigel Long with 13:42 left cut the deficit to 10 again, and Baez made a pair of free throws with 9:17 remaining to get Muhlenberg within single digits.

A three-point play by the Cougars made it 100-92 with 3:45 on the clock, but McLeod's three and a layup by freshman Michael Morreale following a turnover cut the gap to three at the two-minute mark.

After Baez hustled to corral a defensive rebound on the next possession, the Mules missed a potential game-tying three-pointer. Baez drew a charge the next time down, and McLeod drove in for a layup to make the score 100-99 with 34.7 ticks showing.

Muhlenberg got the ball back with a chance to tie in the final 20 seconds but could not convert, and the Cougars finally secured the game with three free throws. 

Coming on the heels of a 98-88 win against SUNY New Paltz in the Scotty Wood opener, the effort game the Mules back-to-back games with 90 or more points for the first time since the 2011 Scotty Wood Tournament.