Diplomats Advance to Tip-Off Title Game

Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. - James McNally picked up right where he left off, posting a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Franklin & Marshall into the championship game of the 2008 Rotary Tip-Off Tournament with a 73-52 win over Penn State Harrisburg on Friday night.

Freshman Georgio Milligan started off his college campaign for the Diplomats  (1-0) with 17 points and seven rebounds to go along with four assists, while Danny Selig recorded double figures with 8-for-10 shooting from the line for 14 points.

F&M will face Mary Washington, an 82-77 winner over Arcadia in the first semifinal contest, in the title game at 8 p.m. tomorrow evening.

The Nittany Lions' (0-1) Kenton Alston led all scorers with 23 points and a game-high six blocks.

F&M used the first half to build a 31-19 lead en route to a 21-point spread at the end for its first win of the season. The Diplomats never trailed and broke a 7-all tie with seven straight points including a three-point play from Milligan to make it 14-7 at the 10:52 mark.

Mike Baker made a layup and McNally added three points with a free throw and a bucket in the paint to make it 19-11. Milligan and McNally each tallied four points in the final eight for F&M to take a 12-point lead into the locker rooms.

After the break, the Diplomats pulled away a 20-point advantage in the first 4:03 of the half after a jumper from Milligan at 41-21. The largest lead came mid-way through the second half, thanks to six consecutive points from the line by Selig to make it 51-26.

F&M outscored Penn State Harrisburg 40-18 in the paint and got 23 bench points to the Nittany Lions' five. Clay Scovill matched McNally with 10 rebounds and added four assists.

The Diplomats will battle the Eagles in their second straight 2008 Rotary Tip-Off championship game on Saturday night.