Box Score Box Score
LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall suffered a 62-59 setback to McDaniel in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action Saturday afternoon. F&M dropped to 6-3, 3-2 CC, while McDaniel improved to 3-5, 1-4 CC.
It was a low-scoring game in the opening minutes of the first half as both teams struggled to find the basket. McDaniel hit multiple three-pointers and jumped out to a 17-6 lead nine minutes into the game. F&M answered with a 17-2 run, tying the game with three points from Matt Redhead, before going up four, 23-19, with 38 ticks on the clock. McDaniel came within two, 23-21, but Mike Rice went coast-to-coast and scored just as time expired to put F&M up 25-21 at the break.
Redhead had seven in the opening frame, while J.C. McGrath, Mike Rice and Ignas Slyka all had four points for F&M.
F&M continued to increase its lead and held a 10-point, 41-31, advantage with a little under 11 minutes left to play. McDaniel answered with a 15-2 run over the next three minutes to go out front 46-43, at 7:16. Four ties and six lead changes ensued over the next five minutes and six straight by the Green Terror put McDaniel up six, 60-54, with 14 ticks on the clock. A layup from J.C. McGrath and a triple by Justin Kupa, brought F&M within a point, but McDaniel hit two from the line to secure the win.
J.C. McGrath paced the Diplomats with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Justin Kupa netted 12 for F&M. Solomon Mathis had eight off the bench and Matt Redhead and Les Thomas both had seven.
F&M returns to action on Dec. 29th when the Diplomats host the Sponaugle New Years Tournament.
