LANCASTER, PA - Forward Evan Hamme (So., Falls Church, VA/George Mason) scored a career high 16 points and pulled down 15 rebounds for the first double-double of his career as the Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team upended Mitchell College 90-40 in the opening round of the 2006 Lancaster Rotary Tip-Off the New Year Tournament at the Mayser Center.
Hamme, who entered the game without a point or rebound through six minutes in three games this year, put the Diplomats in front to stay in the first half scoring 10 points and pulling down eight rebounds in 10 minutes before tacking on six points and seven boards in the second half. Overall, he finished the game six-of-nine from the field, including one-of-one from beyond the arc, and three-of-six at the free throw line, with seven offensive and eight defensive rebounds, three assists and a steal in 22 minutes.
Franklin & Marshall (7-3, 2-2 Centennial Conference) never trailed in the game as forward Brandon Yost (So., McDaniel, MD/St. Michael's) tipped in a missed shot 40 seconds into the contest for a 2-0 lead. Leading 7-5 following a lay-up by Mitchell's David Andrade at the 17:18 mark, the Diplomats rattled off a 12-0 run fueled by back-to-back three pointers by forward Brandon Smith (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) at the 15:48 and 15:32 marks, to go ahead 19-5.
The lead continued to grow throughout the half as the team used a pair of 6-0 runs and a 7-0 run to push the margin out to 50-20 by halftime.
The Pequots (1-9) cut the lead to 28 points in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Diplomats responded to take the 50-point victory.
Overall, four Diplomats reached double-digits in the game as Smith chipped in 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in 28 minutes, while Yost added 11 points and seven rebounds and forward Bryan Teschke (Jr., Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) tacked on 14 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and three steals.
The game was statistically one-sided as F&M held a 67-32 advantage in rebounds, including a 30-9 mark in offensive boards, and shot 43.0% (34-of-79) from the field, 31.6% (six-of-19) from beyond the arc and 66.7% (16-of-24) at the free throw line while holding Mitchell to 27.3% (15-of-55) from the field, 11.8% (two-of-17) from beyond the arc and 44.4% (eight-of-18) at the charity stripe.
The win marks the largest margin of victory in a men's basketball game for the Diplomats since F&M knocked off Bethany College in the Mayser Center 108-43 on December 14, 2002 and sets up a tournament title showdown at 8:00 p.m. on January 3 in the Mayser Center with #21 Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (12-3) which downed Juniata College (5-6, 2-0 MAC Commonwealth Conference) 101-77 in the other first round game. The consolation game featuring Mitchell and Juniata will precede the title game at 6:00 p.m.
Lincoln advanced to the title game behind 24 points and 15 assists from guard Kyle Myrick as the preseason All-America player was one of five Lions to reach double-digits in the 24-point victory.
The Lions never trailed in the game as forward Darryl White hit back-to-back jumpers before throwing down an alley-oop dunk in the first 2:30 of play for a 6-0 lead. Juniata chipped the lead down to three points as forward Travis Boyd converted a lay-up and a free throw at 17:22, but White knocked down a pair of free throws at 17:05 and Myrick hit a driving lay-up at 16:46 to push the lead out to seven points.
Lincoln continued to build on the lead as the Lions used a 5-0 run to push the margin out to 15-5, but Juniata countered to pull back to within five points at 18-13 with 13:25 left in the half.
Leading 22-15 with 12:44 left in the half, Lincoln began to put the game away as the Lions went on an 11-3 run to go in front by 15 and take a 50-37 lead into halftime.
Juniata rallied in the second half cutting Lincoln's lead to seven points at 54-47 with 17:24 left on the game clock and trailed 75-64 with 7:26 on the clock.
However, the Lions put the game away as forward Tyreek Byard hit a lay-up with 5:48 on the clock to start a 12-0 run which turned a 77-66 lead into an 89-66 cushion with 3:23 to play.
The Eagles could not overcome the margin as Lincoln traded baskets with Juniata down the stretch to take the 24-point win.
For Lincoln, guard Bryant Leach added 14 points, while White chipped in 12 points and five rebounds, guard Sami Wylie tacked on 15 points and five steals and Byard registered 19 points and six rebounds.
Juniata was led by center Chris Jasiota who netted 16 points, while Boyd added 11 points, three steals and six rebounds.
The title game match-up between F&M and Lincoln marks the fourth meeting between the two program in the Rotary title tilt as Franklin & Marshall is 3-0 in Rotary Tournament Championship games versus Lincoln as the Lions fell 90-66 in 1997, 92-79 in 2000 and 91-60 in 2003.
Historically, the Diplomats will be looking for their 20th Rotary Championship and their 18th in the last 19 years as Franklin & Marshall won the 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 tournaments. F&M's lone loss over the last 18 tournaments came in 1998 when Alvernia College defeated the Diplomats 86-76.
For Lincoln, the 2006 tournament marks the Lions ninth trip to Lancaster for the Rotary Tournament as the team appeared in the 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 fields finishing second (1997, 2000, 2003), third (1998, 1999) and fourth (1995, 2001).
In the history of the series between F&M and Lincoln, the Lions are 2-10 all-time against Franklin & Marshall since the series began in 1949 as the Diplomats have won the last 10 meetings between the two programs since the Lions last victory in 1951.
The 2006 Tip Off the New Year Tournament is presented by the Rotary Club of Lancaster, an organization of business and ethical persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
The object of the Rotary Club is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise, and in particular, to encourage and foster: (1) the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; (2) high ethical standards in business and professions; (3) the application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life; (4) the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Presented by Lancaster General Hospital, the 2006 Tip Off the New Year Tournament is sponsored in the benefit of the Lancaster Community by the Rotary Club of Lancaster.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students and children.
