LANCASTER, PA - Point guard Dana Johns (Jr., York, PA/Eastern York) connected on eight-of-10 from the field, including six-of-eight from beyond the arc, and five-of-five at the free-throw line for a game high 27 points as the Franklin & Marshall College women's basketball team tamed the Lincoln University Lady Lions 75-62 in non-conference action at the Mayser Center.
Historically, Johns' performance ties the Franklin & Marshall school record for most three-pointers in a game held by Dina White Henry '94 as she drained six of seven from long range to lead all scorers with 32 points in an 80-45 win over Haverford College on November 23, 1993.
Guards Maura Lentz (Sr., Baltimore, MD/Catonsville) and Christy Strunk (Jr., Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) chipped in 14 and 11 points, respectively, as the Diplomats defeated Lincoln (4-9) for the second time this season following a 59-53 win at Lincoln on January 3.
The Diplomats never trailed in the game as Strunk drained a three-pointer nine seconds into the game for a 3-0 lead. Lincoln tied the score 23 seconds later as Sharell McMillian hit for a trey off an assist by Rayshonna Hill, but Lentz and center Lauren Dodrill (Sr., Timonium, MD/Roland Park) made field goals to push the lead out to 7-3.
Lincoln pulled to within one point at 12-11 following a jumper by McMillian, but Johns hit a back-to-back three pointers and added a free throw to account for a 7-0 run and a 19-11 lead. The margin expanded to 14 points at 35-21 with 6:31 left in the half before the Lions chipped the deficit to five points at halftime due to a 12-3 run over the final six minutes of the first half.
The Lions closed to within three points ten seconds into the second half as Latoya Thompson hit a jumper, but Johns tallied a three-pointer to push the margin back to six points. Lincoln responded to slice the lead to 41-38 before Lentz hit a jumper and a three-pointer to move the lead to eight points.
Leading 55-47 with 11:14 to play, Franklin & Marshall's lead began to shrink as Ruthy Rotimi put home a missed shot, Arione Murray knocked down a jumper and Rotimi converted a lay-up to pull to within 55-53 with 9:46 left on the clock.
However, Johns, Lentz and Strunk combined for eight points 72 seconds as Johns and Lentz hit treys at 9:34 and 8:56, respectively, before Strunk registered a jumper for a 63-53 lead at the 8:22 mark as F&M rolled to the 13 point victory.
Asha Atkinson led the Lions with 19 points and eight rebounds, while McMillian added 11 points.
The key to the game was the Diplomats' proficiency at the free-throw line and from beyond the arc as Franklin & Marshall converted 17-of-26 at the charity stripe, including 12-of-17 in the second half, and tallied ten three pointers on 19 attempts while holding the Lions to two-of-11 from long range and eight-of-14 at the free throw line.
Franklin & Marshall (8-9, 6-5 Centennial Conference) will return to action on February 1 at Johns Hopkins University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
