CHESTERTOWN, MD - The Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball set a new scoring record for most points scored in four consecutive games as the Diplomats handled Washington College 108-83 in Centennial Conference action.

F&M, which entered the game with the #1 ranked scoring offense in the Centennial Conference at 82.5 points per game, established a new school record for most points scored in four consecutive games as the Diplomats have posted 386 in wins over Muhlenberg (103-79 W on January 11), Swarthmore (93-51 W on January 13) and Washington (108-83 W) and a loss to Ursinus (91-82 L on January 8). The previous mark was held by the 1991 team which posted 379 over a four game period in which the team downed Geneseo State (74-64 W on November 17, 1990), Swarthmore (104-67 W on November 19, 1990), Gettysburg (92-51 W on November 27, 1990) and McDaniel (109-72 W on December 1, 1990) for 379 points on their way to the Final Four and NCAA Championship game.

The team also tied the record for most points in consecutive games as F&M posted 201 against Swarthmore and Washington tying the mark set by the 1991 team against Gettysburg and McDaniel. The 1952 Diplomats held the record prior to the 1991 team as the 1952 F&M squad tallied 192 in wins over Moravian (103-41 W on December 13, 1951) and Dickinson (104-62 W on January 5, 1952)

In addition, the 2005 Diplomats barely missed the school record for most points in three consecutive games of 305 held by the 1991 team against Swarthmore, Gettysburg and McDaniel and will have a chance at breaking the five game record of 472 held by the 1991 team in their next game as the national runner-up Diplomats opened the 1990 season with a 93-79 win over Elizabethtown on November 16, 1990.

Against Washington (5-9, 2-5 Centennial Conference), guards Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) and Brandon Smith (Jr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) netted 27 and 25 points, respectively, to lead five players in double figures and pace the Franklin & Marshall offense as the Diplomats raised their scoring average to 84.5 points per game.

Never trailing in the game, F&M saw their lead cut to 10-9 with 15:37 to play in the first half before exploding on a 14-3 run to take a 24-12 lead with 12:06 to play until intermission. Washington's Joe Breslin made a lay-up to cut the margin to 10 points at the 11:44 mark, but the Diplomats responded with a 7-0 run as center Danny Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) made a lay-up, point guard Logan Outerbridge (So., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) drilled a three-pointer and Smith split the Washington defense for a lay-up to push the lead out to 31-14 with 10:22 in the half. The Shoremen failed to cut the lead to less than 13 points the rest of the way in the half as F&M entered the locker room with a 56-37 lead at halftime.

Overall, F&M blistered the backboards in the opening 20 minutes of play hitting 21-of-33 from the field (63.6%), five-of-11 from beyond the arc (45.5%) and nine-of-11 at the charity stripe (81.8%) as Smith dominated the opening half making eight-of-12 field goal attempts, one-of-three from long range, and five-of-six from the free throw line for 22 first half points. In addition, Wright made five-of-nine from the floor, including two-of-four from beyond the arc, for 12 first half points as the duo combined for 34 of the Diplomats' 56 points in the opening half.

Franklin & Marshall continued to pour it on in the second half as the Diplomats pushed the lead out to 20+ points with 16:03 to play and cruised to the 25 point victory.

Wright finished 10-of-18 from the field, including five-of-nine from beyond the arc, with two free throws, five assists and a game high three steals in 30 minutes as he surpassed Charlie Detz '95 (1,179) for 18th on the F&M career scoring list.

Further, Wright is now eight three-pointers away from surpassing Jeremiah Henry '96 (234) in the F&M record book for most career three-point field goals.

Smith made eight-of-14 from the floor, including one-of-five from long range, and eight-of-10 at the free throw line while dishing out three assists, blocking two shots and corralling two steals in 27 minutes.

Lynch added 11 points and Outerbridge chipped in 11 points and a game high six assists, while forward Bryan Teschke (So., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) added four points and a game high seven rebounds and center Joshua Fogg (Jr., Merrimacport, MA/Cushing Academy) tallied 13 points and five rebounds.

Jonathan Webb led Washington with 24 points and seven rebounds, while Kyle Stem and John Alexander added 20 and 10 points, respectively.

The key to the game for F&M was defense as the Diplomats forced 27 Shoremen turnovers and grabbed 10 steals to keep Washington in check throughout the contest.

Historically, the win marked the 10th of the season for the Diplomats as Franklin & Marshall has posted 20 straight double-digit win seasons dating back to a 19-10 record during the 1986 season. Overall, the Diplomats have won 10 or more games in 32 of the last 33 years and 32 of the 34 seasons under head coach Glenn Robinson who improved his career coaching record to 684-238 with the victory.

Franklin & Marshall (10-3, 6-1 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on January 17 at DeSales University.

The game will mark the second meeting between the two programs this year as the Diplomats handed the Bulldogs 81-67 in the Mayser Center on November 19 in the 2004-05 season opener as forward Bobby Lynch (Sr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) and Smith dropped in 19 and 21 points, respectively, while combining for 15 rebounds and nine assists for the Diplomats.

For those unable to attend the game, D3hoops.com will broadcast the contest over the internet at http://media2.mc2interactive.com/capitalcrusaders2

Game time is set for 8:00 p.m.