LANCASTER, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall men's basketball never led in a 79-47 loss to Wesleyan in the Sponaugle New Year's Tournament Championship on Thursday afternoon at the Mayser Center.

The Cardinals ran off a 17-6 lead in the first 4:28 of the first half and carried that double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game. F&M trailed by as many as 18 in the first half, but Omar Nichols continued his torrid shooting from beyond the arc with a pair of late threes to trim the deficit to 40-25 at halftime.

Another Nichols triple with 16:33 remaining cut the Wesleyan lead to ten, but a 9-0 Cardinal run erased the Diplomat effort. F&M kept the deficit from ballooning until the 5:36 mark, when Wesleyan scored 11 straight to swell their lead to 31 at 75-44. The Cardinals closed the game with four of the final five for the 79-47 finish.

Omar Nichols was named to the All-Tournament Team for his effort during the tourney, dumping in 12 points in the loss - all from beyond the arc on 4-8 shooting. Josh Parra and Riiny Giir each had eight, while Parra collected a team-high six rebounds.

F&M gets back in action with five Centennial Conference games in ten days, beginning with a home tilt against Muhlenberg on Wednesday, January 3 beginning at 8:00 p.m.

Sponaugle New Year's All-Tournament Team

MVP - Sam Peek (Wesleyan)

Team - Nicky Johnson (Wesleyan)

Team - Omar Nichols (F&M)

Team - Elliot Bowen (Alfred)

Team - Trent Fisher (Wilkes)