ANNVILLE, PA - Bobby Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) dominated the Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen in the second half connecting on four-of-six from the floor with five rebounds and two blocked shots to finish with 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes of play as #19 nationally ranked Franklin & Marshall downed Lebanon Valley, 77-56.
Lynch, the team leader in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game through the Diplomats first six contests, ignited Franklin & Marshall's offense in the second half courtesy his defensive play as the junior forward dished off an assist to center Steve Juskin (Sr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) for a bucket for a 39-28 lead to open the half before corralling a pair of offensive and defensive boards and blocking back-to-back Dutchmen shots for a 54-30 lead with 14:47 left on the clock.
The Diplomats (5-1, 2-0 Centennial Conference) were never challenged in the game from the 8:05 mark of the first half on as LVC's J.D. Byers knocked down a three-pointer to tie the score at 24-24. Danny Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock), Bobby Lynch's twin brother, knocked down a free-throw put the Diplomats ahead and begin a 10-0 run over the next five minutes. The spurt sealed the game for Franklin & Marshall as the Dutchmen failed to cut the lead below eight points the rest of the way as the Diplomats coasted to the victory.
Juskin barely missed recording his third career triple-double as the preseason All-America center grabbed seven rebounds, dished out eight assists and drained six-of-10 from the field, including a three-pointer, and two-of-four at the charity stripe for 15 points.
The only player in Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball history to accomplish the feat, on January 31, 2001, he scored 14 points, ripped down 16 rebounds and dished out 10 assists to record the first known triple-double in Franklin & Marshall history in a 90-48 romp over McDaniel College in the Mayser Center. Eleven months later, he achieved feat again by blocking 10 shots, scoring 22 points and corralling 14 rebounds on November 20, 2001 in an 83-80 win over Elizabethtown in Lancaster.
Overall, guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) drained five-of-12 from the field for 12 points, while Dan Lynch hit four-of-four and three-of-four from the free-throw line for 11 points. Guard Brandon Smith (So., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) added 10 points and point guard Duran Searles (Sr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) chipped in five points to pace the Diplomats' attack.
For Lebanon Valley (4-3), Byers hit seven-of-16 from the field for a game high 18 points. Dave Kasyan added 14 points, while Steve Buzinski and Jimmy Curran chipped in five points apiece as the Dutchmen fall to 62-79 all-time against Franklin & Marshall as Lebanon Valley last defeated the Diplomats in 2002.
The keys to the game were turnovers and points in the paint as Lebanon Valley committed 23 leading to 19 F&M points, while the Dutchmen could muster only 11 off 12 Diplomats' miscues.
In the paint, the Lynch twins and Juskin powered an F&M attack that dropped in 42 points courtesy lay-ups, while LVC managed 18 points from in close.
Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on December 20 on the road at Goucher College. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
