LANCASTER, PA -- Point guard Duran Searles (Sr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) connected on 12-of-14 field goal attempts and four-of-four at the free throw line for a game high 30 points while handing out seven assists as the Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team rolled over McDaniel College 86-49 in Centennial Conference action.
Searles dominated the game from the opening whistle hitting forward Bobby Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) with a pass for an uncontested lay-up four seconds into the game before drilling a three-pointer two minutes later to break a 2-2 tie and ignite a 7-0 run which put the Diplomats (20-3, 15-1 Centennial Conference) in front to stay.
Leading 17-7 with 12:12 to play, the Diplomats saw their lead dwindle to less than 10 points as Will Talesnick made the front-end of a pair of free throws to slice the margin to nine points at 17-8. The Diplomats countered as Searles sandwiched a jumper by Bryan Teschke (Fr., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) with a pair of lay-ups in a 6-0 run which pushed the lead out to 23-8 with 10:03 left in the first half.
The Green Terror (6-18, 3-13 Centennial Conference) trimmed the lead back to 13 points as Talesnick hit a three-pointer for a 26-13 deficit. However, the trey ignited the Diplomats' offense as center Steve Juskin (Sr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) converted on a lay-up attempt and added a free throw courtesy a foul by Jemar Daniel to start a 11-0 run for a 35-13 lead with 5:16 left in the half.
Following a pair of free throws by Chris Rutland to put the lead at 37-15 with 4:43 to play until intermission, F&M ran off a 7-2 spurt behind four points from Searles and three from Juskin for a 44-17 lead. McDaniel's Alan Hoyt added a lay-up and Rutland connected on a "three" to cut the lead back to 22 points at the break.
In the second half, guard Brandon Smith (So., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) took over the Diplomats' scoring duties early dropping in a three-pointer and a lay-up as the two teams exchanged baskets through the first five minutes of the half.
Leading 53-33 with 15:24 remaining on the clock, F&M took command of the second half as Juskin drained a three-pointer from the top of the arc and added a free throw on the Diplomats next trip down the court for a 57-33 lead. Searles expanded the lead as he split the McDaniel defense for a lay-up and a free throw off a foul by Kyle O'Conner for a 60-33 lead with 13:56 to go.
McDaniel responded as Joe Hunter drained a three-pointer and Talesnick connected on a pair of free throws to trim the lead back to 60-38 with 13:11 to go.
Again, Searles answered for F&M as he made a pair of free-throws for a 62-38 lead before corralling a steal and dishing off a pass to guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) who fired home a "three for a 27-point lead with 10:20 to play as Franklin & Marshall cruised to the 37-point victory.
Overall, Searles was dynamic on the court for the Diplomats banking in two-of-five from beyond the arc, grabbing four steals and five rebounds in 32 minutes of play as #14 nationally ranked Franklin & Marshall College recorded the 19th 20-win season in program history.
For F&M, Juskin recorded 16 points and six blocked shots, while Wright added 11 points and five steals, Lynch chipped in 10 points and Smith tallied nine points, 11 rebounds and five steals in the victory.
Rutland led the Green Terror with 15 points, while Jemar Daniel added eight points and a team high nine rebounds in the loss.
The keys to the game were turnovers and F&M's defensive pressure as McDaniel committed 26 miscues and Franklin & Marshall grabbed 20 steals that they converted for 28 points.
The Diplomats will continue the season on February 21 at Washington College. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. in Chestertown, Maryland.
