GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Five Bullets scored in double figures and the Gettysburg College men's basketball team led from start to finish in a big 73-57 Centennial Conference (CC) victory over 13th-ranked Franklin & Marshall College Wednesday evening in Bream Gym.
 
With the win, Gettysburg (13-3, 8-1 CC) moves into a tie with F&M for first place in the Centennial Conference standings while earning the team's first win over a ranked opponent since a 67-61 victory over No. 7 Dickinson College on Nov. 25 of last season.
 
The Bullets were hot from the outside once again, shooting 12-for-25 from beyond the arc while tying season-highs for 3-pointers made and 3-point field-goal percentage (48.0 percent). Gettysburg also shot 51.0 percent from the field and 84.6 percent (11-for-13) at the foul line.
 
Junior guard Pete Christ scored 15 points for the Bullets, who won their fifth game in a row and their 10th-straight at home, dating back to last season. Junior center Tanner Kirkpatrick added a season-high 14 points while shooting 4-for-5 from 3-point range.
 
Sophomore guard Alex Kaslander also contributed 14 points in just 23 minutes off the bench while junior forward Cody Kiefer notched his fourth double-double of the season on 12 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore forward Cam Stewart pitched in with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers during a crucial run late in the game after F&M had pulled to within three.
 
Cedric Moune scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Diplomats (13-3, 8-1 CC), who saw their six-game winning streak come to a halt. Lionel Owona and Hunter Eggers added 13 points apiece for F&M.
 
Kirkpatrick sparked the Bullets right out of the gates, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers to stake his team to an early 6-0 lead. Gettysburg pushed its advantage into double figures (17-7) with 12:11 on the first-half clock following a Kaslander lay-up, but F&M trailed just 19-13 with 9:02 showing. However, that's when the Bullets answered with an 11-2 run, including a pair of highlight-reel lay-ups from Christ, to open up a 30-15 lead with 4:25 remaining in the half. But a late 8-0 run by the Diplomats pulled the visitors back into it, and it was a 34-25 game at the intermission.
 
Gettysburg came out smoking from long range in the second half, hitting four 3-pointers over the opening five minutes to assume a 48-34 lead following a Christ triple. However, the Dips refused to go quietly, and a 7-0 run drew the visitors to within three (50-47) with 11:07 remaining. But that's when Stewart connected on his two big 3-pointers – both from the left corner – as part of a game-breaking 13-1 run. Kaslander capped the surge with a trey of his own from the top of the arc with 5:22 left, and F&M was unable to get closer than 10 the rest of the way. Christ settled any doubt when he got loose for a fast-break lay-up – keyed by a Kirkpatrick steal in the backcourt – that he turned into a conventional 3-point play to make it 69-55 with 2:48 to go.