LANCASTER, PA - Forward Bobby Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) and guard/forward Brandon Smith (Jr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) dropped in 19 and 21 points, respectively, while combining for 15 rebounds and nine assists as the #8 ranked Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team defeated #14 DeSales 81-67 in the season-opening game for both teams.
A D3News preseason All-America selection, Lynch connected on eight-of-11 from the field with a three-pointer and seven rebounds, including a game high six defensive boards, while handing out a team high five assists in 30 minutes of play. Smith chipped in a seven-of-10 performance from the floor with a three, added a six-of-eight mark at the charity stripe, pulled down a game high eight rebounds, dished out four assists and corralled three steals in 31 minutes as the Diplomats moved to 1-0 on the season.
The Diplomats trailed for 35 seconds in the game as Drew Christman hit a lay-up at 19:36 for a 2-0 DeSales lead before guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) shook his defender and laid in an assist from Danny Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) 17 seconds later to knot the game at 2-2. Danny Lynch gave the Diplomats the lead at 18:12 with a lay-up before Kyle Koch drained a three-pointer for the Bulldogs to give DeSales back the lead at 5-4 with 17:54 left to play in the first half.
The points ignited the Diplomats' offense as Wright hit a short jumper at 17:30 and a three-pointer at 16:43 to go ahead 9-5. Danny Lynch put in an pass from his brother 31 seconds later before Smith swished a jumper and drained a three-pointer off a feed from Bobby Lynch to cap a 12-0 run for a 16-5 lead.
David Spadt responded for the Bulldogs with a three-pointer, but point guard Logan Outerbridge (So., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) countered with a trey at 13:54 to keep the lead at 11 points. Eddie Ohlson finished a turnover by the Diplomats to pull DeSales to within 19-10 with 13:19 left in the half, but Franklin & Marshall exploded for an 8-0 run as Bobby Lynch, Wright hit lay-ups before Smith flipped in back-to-back buckets to push the margin out to 27-10 with 11:18 showing on the clock.
Trailing 29-12 following baskets by both teams, the Bulldogs attempted to climb back into the game as Michael Venafra and Kevin Welsh drained three-pointers to pull to within 29-18, but Wright broke loose and drilled a three to put the margin back at 14 with 7:03 left in the half.
DeSales chipped away at the lead over the next 90 seconds as Venafra hit a lay-up and a pair of free-throws while Welsh hit a three-pointer to move to within 34-25 with 5:49 left in the fist half. However, F&M went on a 10-6 run to close the half to carry a 44-31 lead into halftime.
The Diplomats put the game away in the opening minutes of the second half as Bobby Lynch hit a lay-up off a feed from Wright and Outerbridge swished a three off a pass from Wright before Venafra answered with a jumper for a 49-33 F&M lead.
Bobby Lynch added to the lead as he hit back-to-back lay-ups to push the lead to 53-33 with 17:39 left on the game clock. Sedale Walton hit a lay-up on a fast break to chip the lead to 18 points, but Derek Hines (Fr., Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) sliced through the Bulldogs' defense for a lay-up and free throw off a foul by Phil Stricker to put the margin at 56-35.
DeSales could not respond as F&M pushed the lead out to 30 points at 76-46 with 6:15 following a lay-up by Smith. Facing the Diplomats' bench, the Bulldogs pulled to within 14 points for the 81-67 final.
Overall, Venafra was the only Bulldog to crack double-digits as he converted on seven-of-15 shots, including one-of-six from past the arc, and two-of-two at the free-throw line for 17 points in 27 minutes. Welsh added nine points while Jamie McCloskey tacked on eight in the loss.
For F&M, Wright knocked down five-of-12 shots with a pair of three-pointers on seven attempts for 12 points with four assists and four steals in 30 minutes to pace the blue and white attack.
Outerbridge added nine points on three-of-five shooting from beyond the arc and Danny Lynch chipped in eight points as the team gave head coach Glenn Robinson (675-235) the 675th win of his career.
The win ties Robinson for 25th on the NCAA career wins list with Denny Crum who tallied a 675-295 record in 30 seasons at Division I Louisville.
F&M and DeSales will play again later this season, as the Diplomats will travel to Center Valley, Pennsylvania for an 8:00 p.m. game on January 17.
Franklin & Marshall (1-0, 0-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on November 23 at home versus McDaniel College in the Centennial Conference season-opener at the Mayser Center. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m.
