LANCASTER, PA - Guard JD Byers connected on seven-of-18 shots from the field, including six-of-12 from beyond the arc, and seven-of-seven at the free-throw line for a game high 27 points as Lebanon Valley College upset #5 ranked Franklin & Marshall 80-76 in overtime at the Mayser Center.

The win marks the first time LVC (7-1, 2-0 MAC) has won at Mayser since November 22, 1997 when the Flying Dutchmen defeated the Diplomats (4-1, 3-0 Centennial Conference) 74-64 to win the S. Woodrow Sponaugle Tournament.

Leading 72-69 with less than 10 seconds left in regulation, the Dutchmen saw their lead evaporate as Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) found point guard Logan Outerbridge (So., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) on the right wing for a three-point basket to knot the game at 72-72. Byers attempted to fire a game-winning jumper prior to the buzzer, but the shot fell off the front of the rim as time expired to bring on overtime.

In overtime, F&M won the tip-off as forward Brandon Smith (Jr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) streaked in for a lay-up to put F&M in front 74-72 with 4:53 remaining in the extra frame. Brad Stigelman answered for LVC with 2:48 left to knot the game at 74-74 before Smith dropped in a basket for a 76-74 Diplomats' lead with 2:22 left on the clock.

Dan Hogan responded for Lebanon Valley with a lay-up at 1:00 as neither team could score. The Dutchmen received a break with 14.9 seconds remaining on the clock as Wright was whistled for a foul on Byers who deposited both free throws for the winning points. Byers tacked on another pair of free throws with :00.7 left on the clock as Outerbridge fouled him with less than a second on the clock for the four-point overtime victory.

In a game that saw 17 lead changes, the Diplomats and Dutchmen battled from the opening whistle to the closing horn.

LVC jumped out to the first lead of the game as Hogan hit a lay-up at 41 seconds into the game for a quick 2-0 lead. Wright countered 23 seconds later with an arching three-pointer to put F&M in front 3-2 before Byers and Stigelman connected on back-to-back baskets to put the Dutchmen in front 6-3 with 18:23 left in the half before Smith hit a three-pointer and Bobby Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) drained a pair of free throws for an 8-6 lead. A lay-up by Stigelman knotted the score at 8-8, but Wright stroked a three-pointer to put F&M ahead 11-8 with 16:50 to play in the half.

Tied 13-13 with 15:08 left after Byers converted a three-pointer, the Diplomats rolled out on an 8-0 run ignited by a put-back by Bobby Lynch. Smith hit a pair of lay-ups and Wright connected on a jumper to put Franklin & Marshall in front 21-13 with 12:46 left in the half.

Following a lay-up by Stigelman at 12:22 to cut the margin to 21-15, Bryan Teschke (So., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) and Danny Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) scored on lay-ups to inch the margin to 25-15 before Byers dropped a three-pointer to pull LVC to within seven points.

Wright then took over the game swishing back-to-back three-pointers at 8:23 and 7:34 to make the score 31-18 with 7:34 left in the first half.

Byers responded with back-to-back treys at 6:06 and 5:30 before Jimmy Curran chipped in a bucket to pull LVC to within 31-26 with 4:20 remaining until halftime.

Danny Lynch swished a pair of free throws before Byers dropped a three-pointer for a 33-29 F&M lead.

Byers added a pair of free throws to pull the Dutchmen to within 33-31 with 2:42 remaining and Hogan added a lay-up at 2:12 to knot the score at 33-33.

F&M went back in front as Smith made the backend of a pair of free throws at the 2:00 mark, but Matt Polinsky made the front end of a pair of free throws to keep the score at 34-34 with 1:07 left on the first half clock.

Lebanon Valley appeared destined to enter the locker room with a two point lead as Curran knocked down a bucket with eight seconds left, but Danny Lynch connected on a point back at the buzzer for a 36-36 game at the break.

LVC ran out to a four-point lead to open the second half as Stigelman and Curran connected on baskets, but Smith hit a three to pull F&M to within a point at 40-39. The teams traded baskets before Outerbridge knocked down a pair of free throws to put F&M back in front 43-42 with 16:34 remaining on the regulation game clock.

Following a lay-up by Steve Buzinski to put the Dutchmen ahead 44-43, Outerbridge drained a trey to ignite a 8-0 run as he dropped in a bucket and added a foul shot 17 seconds following his trey before Smith added a pair of free throws for a 51-44 lead.

Trailing 58-48 with 10:36 remaining following a trey by Outerbridge, the Dutchmen fired to the lead as Buzinski hit a free throw, Byers hit a trey and a foul shot, Hogan knocked down a jumper and Buzinski hit a bucket before adding a pair of free throws to account for an 11-0 run to put Lebanon Valley in front 59-58 with 7:38 to play in regulation.

F&M retook the lead as Wright drained a pair of free throws, but Buzinski hit a lay-up. Wright again responded by driving for a lay-up, but Curran dropped in a trey for a 64-62 Lebanon Valley lead with 6:14 left.

Bobby Lynch hit a pair of free throws and Stigelman knocked down the back-end of a pair to keep LVC in front 65-64 before Buzinski tallied a pair at the charity stripe for a 67-64 Dutchmen lead with 4:45 left on the clock.

Bobby Lynch hit a lay-up at 4:04, but Hogan made a free throw and a basket to put the Dutchmen in front 70-66 with 2:14 left on the clock.

The teams then traded points as Bobby Lynch hit a pair of free throws at 1:28, but Hogan finished a lay-up at :54 for a 72-68 lead. The Diplomats caught a break with :45 left as Stigelman fouled Smith who made the second of a pair of free throws to slice the lead to 72-69 and set up Outerbridge's heroics to force the game to overtime.

Overall, all five LVC starters finished in double-digits in the game as Curran had 11 points, Buzinski netted 11 points and 11 rebounds, Byers dropped 27 points with seven assists and seven rebounds, Hogan added 11 points and nine rebounds and Stigelman finished the game with 19 points, five blocked shots and eight boards.

For F&M, Wright finished with 20 points and three blocked shots, Outerbridge netted 14 points, Smith dropped 18 points and pulled down six rebounds, Danny Lynch had six points and five rebounds, while Bobby Lynch recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Franklin & Marshall (4-1, 3-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on December 21 at Catholic University of America. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.