LANCASTER, PA -- Forward Bobby Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) made 11-of-14 from the free-throw line and connected on two-of-three from the field for 15 points and added 10 rebounds to key the Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team to a 84-64 victory over Washington College (5-9, 2-5 Centennial Conference).
For the Diplomats (12-2, 7-0 Centennial Conference), the victory moves F&M into sole possession of first place in the Centennial Conference as Johns Hopkins University, which was previously undefeated in Conference play, fell at Ursinus College by an 82-74 final.
Overall, four of the Diplomats' starters broke into double-digits in scoring as center Steve Juskin (Sr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) flirted with his third career triple-double as the finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and nine blocked shots. In addition, point guard Duran Searles (Sr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) netted 13, Lynch 15, guard/forward Brandon Smith (So., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) 10 and guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) six as Franklin & Marshall built a 36-16 first half lead to take the 20 point victory.
Center Danny Lynch (Jr., Richboro, NJ/Council Rock) added seven points off the bench in 20 minutes, while forward Joaquim Hamilton (So., Yeadon, PA/Penn Wood) chipped in eight in the effort.
The key to the game for the Diplomats was their defense as the team tallied 13 blocked shots, led by nine by Juskin. In addition, the team held a 54-34 advantage in rebounds over the Shoremen as the Diplomats finished with 20 offensive and 34 defensive boards to better Washington's 16 offensive and 20 defensive rebounds.
The game started out as a dog-fight as the Shoremen built an 8-7 lead before F&M used three-pointers by Juskin, Searles and Wright in a 10-0 run to take a nine point lead at 17-8, a margin the Shoremen failed to crack for the remainder of the game.
Following a pair of free-throws by Jon Webb and a lay-up by David Horvath to move Washington within 19-12 of the Diplomats at the 11:06 mark, Franklin & Marshall's defense stiffened to hold the Shoremen without a point until a pair of free-throws by Kyle Stem for a 33-14 score with 4:13 left in the first half. Overall, F&M closed out the first half following Horvath's free-throws at the 11 minute mark on a 17-4 run to take a 20-point margin into the break.
The margin ballooned to 28 in the opening minutes of the second half as Bobby Lynch dropped in a pair of free-throws, Searles drained a "three", Smith connected on a "three" and a lay-up and Juskin sliced in for a lay-up for a 48-20 lead with 16:28 left on the game clock.
The Shoremen failed to overcome the margin for the remainder of the game as F&M led by as many as 38 before Washington closed the game to a 20-point victory against the Diplomats' bench.
For Washington, Dustin Abbate led his team with 25 points off eight-of-19 shooting from the field, including five-of-nine from beyond the arc, in 27 minutes of play. Horvath chipped in 10 points and a team high six rebounds and Kyle Stem netted eight points.
The victory raises F&M head coach Glenn Robinson's career record to 660-233 (73.8 winning percentage) as he is now seven victories shy of surpassing former Illinois Wesleyan coach Dennie Bridges (666 wins) for the all-time Division III wins record.
Franklin & Marshall will continue the season at 7:30 p.m. on January 21 at Dickinson College.
