CHESTERTOWN, Md.- The Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team (12-6, 4-2 Centennial) lead from the second minute onward in a commanding 65-37 win over Washington College (7-11, 2-4 Centennial) on Wednesday night. It's the fewest points allowed by the Diplomats since the 2012-13 season, when F&M beat Dickinson 64-34 in that year's regular season finale.

Kevin Nowoswiat recorded his second-consecutive double-double via 16 points and ten rebounds, while he also recorded five assists and two steals. John Seidman totaled 13 points with three assists and three steals, shooting 5-of-8 (62.5%) from the field. Vakaris Grauslys recorded five steals and nine points, while Carter Lawrence scored eight points in nine minutes from the bench.  

Scoring was quiet to open the contest, as F&M held a 3-2 lead through the opening five minutes via a Parra layup and free throw. This began a 12-0 run for the Diplomats that included four points from Seidman and a three from Grauslys. Washington scored five of the next seven points to close the gap to 14-7, but Dylan Cormac delivered a three a possession later, stretching the lead back to ten with 9:25 to go in the first half. The teams traded buckets over the rest of the half, and F&M eventually went into the break with a 28-20 lead. The Diplomats struggled beyond the arc, shooting 3-of-14 (21.4%) in the first half, but they drew a sizable advantage off the glass by outrebounding their opponents 25-11. 

F&M was quick to expand the lead in the second half, as they went on a 10-2 run over the first seven minutes for a 38-22 lead. The Shoremen kept pace in the next portion of the half, staying within 15 points entering the final seven minutes. At this point, the Diplomats scored seven straight, going ahead by 22 points at 52-30 with five minutes left. Washington broke the run with a three, but F&M responded with 11 consecutive points over the next three minutes for a game-high lead of 30 points. The F&M offense shot an impressive 60.9% from the field while holding their opponents to 28.6% in the second half. Across the game, the Diplomats outrebounded the Shoremen 44-24.

The Diplomats play on the road again when they travel to McDaniel on Saturday, February 1, at 4:00 p.m.