LANCASTER, PA - Guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) scored a game high 27 points, including 19 in the first half, and dished out a team high three assists as the #10 ranked Franklin & Marshall College (5-1, 3-0 Centennial Conference) routed host Catholic University (6-3, 1-1 Capital Athletic Conference) 81-64 in non-conference men's basketball action.
Historically, Wright's performance was three points shy of the 27th 30-point game in the 102 years of basketball at the College as guard Duran Searles '04 last accomplished the feat on February 21, 2004 with 36 points in a 96-78 win at Washington College.
Overall, Wright keyed the Diplomats in the first half to carry a 37-32 lead into halftime as he made seven-of-12 from the field, including five-of-nine from three point range, for 19 first half points while grabbing two steals in 18 minutes.
He factored in the game's opening score as he corralled a steal off a Mike Wasilenko turnover 54 seconds into the game and found center Danny Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) for a three-pointer to take the lead with 18:54 left in the half. Catholic tied the game with a trey by Scott Fumai 28 seconds later as the teams traded baskets until Matt Spierenburg hit a lay-up with 13:18 left in the first half for a 14-12 CUA lead.
However, Wright responded finding guard Bryan Teschke (So., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) for a three-pointer to ignite an 8-0 to take the lead for good as Wright drained a trey and Bobby Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) dropped in a lay-up for a 20-14 lead with 11:54 left in the half.
Catholic closed to within three points as Shane Sowden put in a lay-up off a missed free-throw by Stephen Wheeler, but guard/forward Brandon Smith (Jr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) and Wright took over the game as Smith made a lay-up, grabbed a steal and hit a jumper before Wright swished a three-pointer for a 27-17 lead with 9:26 remaining on the clock.
The margin ballooned to 12 points before Catholic closed to within 34-32 with 19 seconds left on the clock before Wright dropped in his fifth three-pointer of the half for a 37-32 lead at intermission.
The Cardinals cut the lead to 37-36 to open the second half as Sowden and Pat Satalin made lay-ups, but Danny Lynch made a lay-up off an assist from Wright to begin a 9-0 run as the Diplomats pushed their advantage to 48-36 with 15:49 left in the game.
Trailing 50-46 with 11:54 to go, Catholic saw F&M begin to put the contest away behind the play of point guard Logan Outerbridge (So., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) who made four-of-four at the free throw line and hit a jumper to power a 10-3 run to take a 60-49 lead.
Following a lay-up by Fumai, the Diplomats sealed the win as Outerbridge hit a jumper and a foul shot, Wright connected on a pair of free-throws, Brandon Chasen (Fr., Potomac, MD/Bullis School) dropped in a lay-up and Bobby Lynch made a pair of free-throws to account for a 9-0 run and a 69-51 lead with 5:31 left on the clock as the Diplomats coasted to the 17 point win.
Overall, Outerbridge finished with 12 points and two assists, Smith chipped in 12 points and three steals, Danny Lynch added 11 points and a game high four steals and Bobby Lynch tacked on nine points, seven rebounds and three assists.
For Catholic, Fumai led the Cardinals with 17 points, while Sowden and Wasilenko chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The keys to the game were F&M's shooting, defense and rebounding as the Diplomats held a 32-24 advantage on the boards and a 10-4 lead in steals, while connecting on 55.6% from the field (25-of-45), 44.4% from beyond the arc (eight-of-18) and 71.9% at the line (23-of-32).
Franklin & Marshall (5-1, 3-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season at home on January 3-4 in the Lancaster Rotary Tip-Off the New Year Tournament versus John Jay, Gwynedd-Mercy and SUNY-Old Westbury. On January 3, the Diplomats will take to the court at 8:00 p.m. versus John Jay following a 6:00 p.m. showdown between Gwynedd-Mercy and SUNY-Old Westbury.
