LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team (2-0) defeated Cairn (0-2), 86-62, in its opening game of the William Marshall Tip-Off Tournament Friday evening. The game was also the Diplomats first home game of the 2022-23 season.

A dominant first half of play helped F&M get out to an early lead as they took a 44-26 advantage into the halftime break. The first half included the biggest run of the night for the Diplomats as they began a 25-3 run just over eight minutes into the game. John Seidman knocked down six points with three of those points coming at the charity stripe during the run. The Diplomats ended the half with back-to-back three-pointers from Vakaris Grauslys.

F&M picked up where they left off coming out of the halftime break as Grauslys and Dylan Cormac each knocked down shots from beyond the arc. Between Grauslys and Cormac, the first year's shot 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from behind the three-point line in the game.

With under 7:30 remaining in the game, the Diplomats continued hitting from long-range as Will Moreau and Omar Nichols each splashed a three-pointer. Kola Lysynecky's layup with 6:38 remaining gave F&M a 73-43 lead for its largest lead of the game.

Seidman and Cormac each finished with 15 points to lead the Diplomats scoring. Cormac racked up all 15 of his points from beyond the arc as he shot 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from long distance. Josh Parra was the third Diplomat to tally double figures in scoring as the forward recorded 14 points on 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the field. As a team, F&M shot 47.8 percent (32-of-67) from the field and 44.8 percent (13-of-29) from beyond the arc.

On defense, Seidman swatted three shots, while Riiny Giir picked up two blocks in the contest. F&M's defensive pressure forced 17 turnovers in the win.

The Diplomats now face Hampden-Sydney Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the championship game of the William Marshall Tip-Off Tournament at Mayser Center.