LANCASTER, PA - Dickinson College guard Matt Keys connected on nine-of-14 field goal attempts, including six-of-eight from beyond the arc, for 24 points as the Red Devils upset Franklin & Marshall College 59-54 in Centennial Conference men's basketball action at the Mayser Center.
The top ranked team in scoring defense (64.7 ppg) and last place in scoring offense (62/8 ppg) in the latest Centennial Conference statistics, Dickinson (3-4, 2-1 Centennial Conference) connected on 24-of-48 field goals in the game, including eight-of-15 from long range, and three-of-16 at the free throw line to hold off the Diplomats (5-2, 2-1 Centennial Conference) as the Devils built a 32-22 halftime lead.
Dickinson opened the game with a run as the Red Devils went in front 2-0 on a lay-up by Travis Doll 38 seconds into the game, but F&M countered to take the lead on a three-pointer by point guard Logan Outerbridge (Jr., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) 21 seconds later.
The Red Devils never trailed in the game again as Keys drained a three-pointer to go ahead 5-3 at 18:31 and Jon Skvarka put back a missed shot at 17:48 for a 7-3 lead. Center Derek Hines (So., Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) tipped in a missed shot to pull F&M to within two points at 7-5, but Keys drained a three pointer and made a lay-up before Cory Kenny connected on a jumper for a 14-5 lead.
Leading 28-14 with 5:38 remaining in the first half following a three-pointer by Kenny, Dickinson began to see its lead dwindle as guard Adam Leonard (So., Muncy, PA/Muncy) stroked a jumper and Rich Rodd (Fr., Hamilton, NJ/Lawrenceville School) put back a missed shot before forward Josh Fogg (Sr., Merrimacport, MA/Cushing Academy) and guard Brandon Chasen (So., Potomac, MD/Bullis) dropped in lay-ups to pull F&M to within 28-22 with 2:53 remaining in the half.
However, Kizmahr Grell and Keys connected on lay-ups as Dickinson took a 32-22 lead into the break.
The Red Devils pushed the lead out to 15 points to open the second half as Dickinson went on a 9-4 run to go ahead 41-26 with 15:19 to play in the game before Hines tipped in another missed shot. Brad Litchfield inched the margin back to 15 points with a jumper at the 14 minute mark before Grell dropped in a lay-up at 12:49 to set the lead at 17 points (45-28).
F&M climbed back into the game with a 12-2 run as Fogg hit a pair of baskets, Hines tacked on three lay-ups and forward Brandon Smith (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) drained a pair of free throws over the next five minutes.
Dickinson fired back as Kenny put back a missed shot and Keys swished a trey to push the lead back to 12 points at 52-40 with 6:11 to play.
Franklin & Marshall countered as Chasen made a lay-up, Hines made a free throw and Outerbridge connected on a jumper in a 5-1 run to climb to within eight points at 53-45 with 3:23 left on the clock.
Keys made a three-pointer at 2:54 to set the lead at 11 points, but forward Bryan Teschke (Jr., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) hit a lay-up and a free throw to trim the margin to eight points.
Following a missed free throw, Litchfield made a lay-up at 1:31 to push Dickinson ahead 58-48, but Outerbridge swished a three-pointer at 1:23 to pull F&M to within seven points.
Keys missed a pair of free throws at 1:10, but Smith made a pair to cut the Devils' lead to 58-53 with :42.9 left on the clock. Dickinson was unable to inbounds the ball after the shots at the charity stripe, as F&M in bounded the ball and Smith was fouled at :36.1 to give F&M a chance to pull to within three points.
Smith made the first of his free throws, but missed the second, as Dickinson 18 seconds off the clock before Outerbridge fouled Pat Coyle with 18.8 seconds left on the game clock. Coyle made the first of two free throw attempts to set the score at 59-54 as two three point attempts by the Diplomats refused to fall as the Red Devils held on for the five point win.
Hines led the way for F&M with 14 points and six rebounds, while Outerbridge added 11 points, two assists and six rebounds. Smith chipped in six points, four assists and three rebounds, while Chasen and Fogg tacked on six points.
For Dickinson, Litchfield tallied 10 points and seven rebounds, Skvarka tacked on eight points, six assists and six rebounds and Kenny netted eight points and six rebounds.
The game marked the second consecutive victory for Dickinson in Lancaster as the Red Devils recorded a 94-90 win on January 19, 2005 at the Mayser Center. Historically, the Diplomats hold a 95-62 advantage in the series as Franklin & Marshall has won 15 of the last 17 meetings.
Franklin & Marshall (5-2, 2-1 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on December 10 at Haverford College in Centennial Conference action. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
