Diplomats Ring in the New Year Right
LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall and The College of New Jersey were neck and neck throughout the game, playing down to the wire with the Diplomats coming out on top for their eighth straight win by defeating the Lions 78-74 in the first round of the Woodrow S.W. Sponaugle New Year's Tournament on Friday night.
F&M had four players in double figures for the fifth time this season led by Georgio Milligan's 16 points and eight assists along with Mike Baker's first collegiate double-double with 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. The Diplomats (8-0) will look to defend their title against Susquehanna in the championship game, slated for tomorrow at 8 p.m.
Jay Frank led all scorers with 21 points and a team-best five rebounds. Aaron Syvertsen and Steven Siracusa each added 13 points for the Lions (4-5).
After a three-week absence, F&M picked up right where they left off ringing in the New Year on a good note and advancing to its second straight Sponaugle title.
The Diplomats took a 37-35 lead into the locker rooms and never trailed in the second half, but did not have an easy ride to the end result. TCNJ managed to stay on F&M's heals, especially in the final three minutes of the game to make the Diplomats earn their eighth win.
With 3:55 left to play, James McNally made two free throws to put F&M ahead 72-66. A layup by Eric Blackmon-Hayes followed by a steal plus a basket from Siracusa cut the lead to two.
The Lions got within one at 73-72 with 52 seconds left on a pair of free throws from Jay Frank, however, Milligan fed McNally under the basket for the three-point play before sinking a free throw on two trips to the line to seal the deal.
In the first half, TCNJ managed to scare the Diplomats by taking and keeping a five point lead that turned into a 25-18 advantage with 7:09 left in the half. F&M used a 9-3 burst with four minutes on the clock to grab its first lead of the game thanks to a 4-for-4 showing down the stretch including three-pointers from Dontae Johnson and Steve Tolliver.
McNally and Johnson were the other two in double figures, scoring 13 and 10, respectively. The Diplomats held a 40-24 advantage on the boards, while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor.