WESTMINISTER, Md. – Matt Porter and Hayk Gyokchyan combined for 47 points to lead No. 11 Franklin & Marshall to an 80-70 victory over McDaniel in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action Saturday afternoon. Porter netted a career-high 22 while Gyokchyan finished with a game-high 25 points and a career-best 19 boards as the Diplomats improved to 5-0, 3-0 CC this season.

The first half was a battle as neither team took more than at a four-point lead through the first five minutes of action. McDaniel (1-4, 0-3 CC) took a 5-4 edge at 16:40 before F&M went on a 13-4 run over the next two minutes to go up 17-9 at 12:31. The Green Terror answered by outscoring F&M 10-1 to retake the lead, 19-18, with 8:50 left until the break. 

Both teams exchanged points over the next few minutes, resulting in a 24-24 deadlock at 6:33. The Diplomats scored six straight to retake the lead for good and went into the break with a 38-31 edge. 

F&M quickly increased its advantage to double-digits to start the second stanza and led by as many as 15 points, 66-51, with 6:19 remaining in the game.  The Green Terror continued to fight with a 7-0 run to come within in eight, 66-58, and made it a two-score game, 72-66, with just 1:28 left to play, but F&M went 6-for-6 from the stripe down the stretch to secure the victory. 

Porter shot 8-for-17 from the floor and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line. Gyokchyan was 10-for-16 from the field and dished out seven assists while Morgan Lee finished with 14 points. 

Tyler Rudd paced the Green Terror with 19 points and Nic Martin finished with 16 for McDaniel. 

F&M held a commanding 45-26 advantage on the glass and shot 50% from the floor while limiting McDaniel to 41%.

The Diplomats return to action on Wednesday when F&M hosts Gettysburg at 7:00 p.m.

No. 11 FRANKLIN & MARSHALL 80, MCDANIEL 70

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (5-0, 3-0 CC)

Hayk Gyokchyan 10-16 2-5 25; Matt Porter 8-17 6-6 22; Morgan Lee 6-8 2-3 14;  Ed Early 3-5 0-0 6; Max Brewer 1-4 4-4 6; Jon Salandra 2-5 0-0 4; Devin Figueroa 0-1 2-2 2; Gordon Rogo 0-1 1-1 1; Cedric Moune 0-0 0-0 0; Brandon Beckford 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 30-60 17-21 80.

MCDANIEL (1-4, 0-3 CC)

Tyler Rudd 6-14 6-7 19; Nic Martin 7-12 1-1 16; Andrew Merlo 5-10 2-3 13; Evan Pupelis 4-6 2-2 10; Phillip Perry 3-8 1-1 7; Nick Chia 1-2 0-0 3; Jimmy Cranwell 0-4 2-2 2; Duane Echols 0-7 0-0 0. Totals 26-63 14-16 70.

Franklin & Marshall...........   38   42  -   80

McDaniel......................   31   39  -   70

3-point goals--Franklin & Marshall 3-9 (Hayk Gyokchyan 3-6; Matt Porter 0-1; Max Brewer 0-1; Devin Figueroa 0-1), McDaniel 4-20 (Andrew Merlo 1-5; Nic Martin 1-3; Tyler Rudd 1-6; Nick Chia 1-1; Duane Echols 0-3; Jimmy Cranwell 0-1; Phillip Perry 0-1). 

Fouled out--Franklin & Marshall-None, McDaniel-Evan Pupelis. 

Rebounds--Franklin & Marshall 45 (Hayk Gyokchyan 19), McDaniel 26 (Nic Martin 5; Tyler Rudd 5). 

Assists--Franklin & Marshall 19 (Hayk Gyokchyan 7), McDaniel 13 (Phillip Perry 4). 

Total fouls--Franklin & Marshall 15, McDaniel 19. 

Technical fouls--Franklin & Marshall-None, McDaniel-None. 

A-524