| Austin Curry led Muhlenberg with 22 points on
6-for-12 shooting. Muhlenberg file photo by Lisa Youngentob |
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- No. 18 Franklin & Marshall fell 71-67 to Muhlenberg Thursday evening in Centennial Conference men's basketball action. The loss is the second in a row for the Diplomats as they fell to 10-4 (5-2 CC). The Mules improved to 8-6 (4-3 CC).
Muhlenberg scored eight unanswered points to take a seven-point,
66-59, lead with 4:34 remaining in the contest. F&M
countered to come within in three points, 66-63, on two Mike Baker free
throws with just under two minutes left in the game. Austin
Curry hit 5-out-6 free throws over the final two minutes to secure
the victory for the Mules.
The Diplomats started the game out strong leading by as much as
eight, 23-15, midway through the first half. F&M
maintained its lead and went into the break up 39-35. Baker paced
the Diplomats with 10 points in the opening stanza.
The Mules took their first lead of the contest at 12:53 in the
second half. Muhlenberg led by four, 52-48, before the
Diplomats regained the lead at 55-53 with 6:52 remaining in the
game. The teams traded buckets over the ensuing minutes, before the
Mules put together their decisive run.
James
McNally netted a team-high 17 points for the Diplomats. McNally
is 10 points away from becoming F&M's all-time scoring leader.
The record, held by Donnie Marsh '79, has stood for 32 years. Marsh
accumulated 1,695 points in his four years at F&M.
Georgio
Milligan and Baker finished with 14 points apiece while Brandon
Beckford added 11. Baker pulled down a game-high 10 boards for
his third double-double of the year.
Curry scored a game-high 22 points for the Mules. Spencer Liddic
finished with 21, including his 1,000th career point. Rob Berish
ended with 12.
The Diplomats continue their four-game road swing against
Washington on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
MUHLENBERG 71, FRANKLIN & MARSHALL 67
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (10-4 (5-2 CC))
James McNally 8-17 1-6 17; Mike Baker 6-9 2-2 14; Georgio Milligan 5-17 4-4 14; Brandon Beckford 5-16 0-0 11; Steve Tolliver 2-5 0-0 5; Hayk Gyokchyan 0-2 3-4 3; Max Brewer 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 27-68 10-16 67.
MUHLENBERG (8-6 (4-3 CC))
Austin Curry 6-12 5-8 22; Spencer Liddic 7-17 7-8 21; Rob Berish
5-7 0-0 12; Evan Tozer 3-3 0-0 8; Matt O'Hara 1-2 0-0 3; James
Albano 1-1 1-1 3; Kevin Hargrove 1-5 0-0 2; Brandon Bovino 0-2 0-0
0; Steve Cavanaugh 0-0 0-0 0; Kevin O'Hara 0-0 0-0 0; David Gwyn
0-2 0-0 0; Timmy Harwood 0-0 0-0 0; Justin Greenstone 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 24-51 13-17 71.
Franklin & Marshall........... 39
28 - 67
Muhlenberg.................... 35 36
- 71
3-point goals--Franklin & Marshall 3-16 (Steve
Tolliver 1-3; Brandon Beckford 1-8; Max Brewer 1-1; Hayk Gyokchyan
0-1; Georgio Milligan 0-3), Muhlenberg 10-16 (Austin Curry 5-8;
Evan Tozer 2-2; Rob Berish 2-2; Matt O'Hara 1-2; David Gwyn 0-1;
Spencer Liddic 0-1).
Fouled out--Franklin & Marshall-None,
Muhlenberg-None.
Rebounds--Franklin & Marshall 39 (Mike Baker
10), Muhlenberg 33 (Spencer Liddic 8).
Assists--Franklin & Marshall 18 Georgio
Milligan 6), Muhlenberg 11 (Matt O'Hara 3).
Total fouls--Franklin & Marshall 15,
Muhlenberg 13.
Technical fouls--Franklin & Marshall-None,
Muhlenberg-None.
A-334