LANCASTER, PA - Guard/forward Brandon Smith (Jr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) scored a game high 18 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, blocked three shots and grabbed five steals to lead the #7 ranked Franklin & Marshall College (2-0, 1-0 Centennial Conference) men's basketball team to an 85-54 win over McDaniel College (1-2, 0-1 Centennial Conference) in Centennial Conference action at the Mayser Center.
Forward Bobby Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) added 17 points with three steals, while guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) dropped in 10 points to round out the Diplomats in double digits as the team gave head coach Glenn Robinson (676-235) the 676th win of his career.
The win moves Robinson into sole possession of 25th on the NCAA career wins list as he surpassed Denny Crum who tallied a 675-295 record in 30 seasons at Division I Louisville.
The Diplomats never trailed in the game as Lynch made three-of-four free throws and added a lay-up to put Franklin & Marshall in front 5-0 with 14:28 left in the first half. McDaniel cut the lead to 11-7, but Wright dished an assist to Lynch for a lay-up, hit a jumper and assisted on a three-pointer by Smith to account for a 7-0 run and an 18-7 lead with 9:40 left until halftime.
The Green Terror moved to within 18-12, but Smith hit a three-pointer and made back-to-back lay-ups in under two minutes for a 25-12 lead at 4:45 as Franklin & Marshall led 38-22 at halftime.
F&M opened the second half with a 12-0 run as Smith made a lay-up, Logan Outerbridge (So., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) drained a three-pointer, Lynch converted a pair of free throws, Wright hit a lay-up and a free throw and Danny Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) made a lay-up for a 50-22 lead with 15:08 left on the game clock.
The lead grew to 35 points at 64-29 with 10:31 to go before the Green Terror closed to within 31 for the 85-54 final.
Sean McNeely led the Terror with nine points while Jemer Daniel and Mike Dipiero added eight points as McDaniel falls to 16-64 all-time against the Diplomats as Franklin & Marshall has won the last 14 meetings between the two programs.
Franklin & Marshall (2-0, 1-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on December 4 at home versus Haverford College in Centennial Conference action at the Mayser Center. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
