LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team got season high scoring totals from Josh Parra (22 points) and Kevin Nowoswiat (21 points), but it was not enough in a 77-73 setback to Ursinus in Centennial Conference play on Thursday night. The conference clash featured 12 lead changes and eight tied scores over the forty minutes.

Parra's game high point total came as part of a huge-double where he also pulled down a game-best 13 rebounds while Nowoswiat's points came as part of his first career double figure scoring output. Ursinus countered that with three players who scored at least 15 points, led by Ryan Hughes' 19.

Nowoswiat hit three triples on the night and shot nearly 50 percent from the field. It was his three-pointer during the first half that got F&M out to its largest lead of the night at 27-21, capping an 8-0 run in front of the home crown. The Diplomats matched that advantage two more times during the opening half, but the Bears surged late and trailed by just one at the break after Nowoswiat hit a jumper just a second before the buzzer to set the score at 37-36.

Franklin & Marshall held that lead past the 16 minute mark in the second half, but a 12-0 run from the Bears gave them a lead that they would hold for the remainder of the night despite several challenges from the hosts. The Diplomats had the game down to a single possession battle on three occasions, the last of which came when Nowoswiat connected on a jumper make the score a 60-57 battle with 4:29 left in regulation.

Ursinus held its largest lead of the night, 71-59, with just 1:14 to play, but even then the Diplomats would not go down without a fight. F&M scored the next six points and eventually got the deficit down to just four points, 76-72, with 14 seconds to play. Nevertheless, the Diplomats could pull no closer having to foul in those final seconds of the 77-73 final.

Thanks in large part to Parra's effort, the Diplomats held a 40-36 scoring advantage in the paint and a 16-7 edge in second chance points. Six of Parra's 13 boards came off of the offensive glass. Just one more basket for Ursinus from the field and two more points at the free throw line were ultimately all that separated the two teams. F&M came away with 12 steals and forced 18 turnovers, but the Bears overcame that by shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.

Men's basketball will be back on the road Saturday as the Diplomats head to Chestertown for their second matchup with the Shoremen this season. That game at Washington College is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.