COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Five players scored in double figures as No. 22 Franklin & Marshall defeated Ursinus 74-61 in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action Tuesday evening. The victory gives F&M (19-4, 12-2 CC) home-court advantage for the CC Playoffs for the sixth time in eight years. 

F&M jumped out to an early lead and went up 10-2 on a Matthew Tate three a little over three minutes into the game. Terrel Phelps hit a triple at 12:18 to give F&M a double-digit edge, 21-11, before the Bears game within seven, 25-18, with 9:04 left in the first half.

Ursinus made it a six-point game, 27-21, and the Diplomats answered with an 11-1 run to go up 38-22. F&M took its largest lead, 42-24, on a Kevin Beins jumper at 2:23 and went into the break leading by 15 points.

Phelps made it 49-32 early in the second and hit a three, minutes later for an 18-point, 52-34, F&M lead with 15:20 left in the game.  Ursinus responded by outscoring F&M 23-8 over the next 11 minutes and came within three, 60-57, at 4:45. F&M scored four straight to go up seven, and Phelps' free throw at 1:12 made it 68-59. The Diplomats hit all six of their free throws in the final minute to secure the win.

Phelps finished with a season and team-high 17 points for the Diplomats. The senior went 4-for-7 from behind the arc and finished 5-for-6 from the stripe. Beins added 14 off the bench, shooting 6-for-8 from the floor, and Cedric Moune ended the game with 11 points and nine boards. Brandon Federici and Tate both netted 10 and Hunter Eggers had eight.

Remi Janicot led Ursinus with 17, Eric Williams finished with 12 and Malik Draper chipped in 10 for the Bears.

Ursinus had a 40-35 advantage on the glass, but the Diplomats converted 21 turnovers into 23 points.

F&M returns to action tomorrow when the Diplomats host Gettysburg at 8:00 p.m. before wrapping up the regular season when Dickinson comes to Mayser for a 3:00 p.m. tilt on Saturday.