NOVEMBER 18, 2016

KING'S MEN'S BASKETBALL DOWNS FRANCISCAN IN SUSQUEHANNA TOURNEY OPENER

SELINSGROVE -- The King's College men's basketball team used a balanced attack as 15 different players reached the scoring column, leading the Monarchs to a 85-62 victory over Franciscan University of Ohio in the opening game of the Susquehanna University Tip-Off Classic Friday night in Selinsgrove.

With the win King's improved to 2-0 on the year while Franciscan slipped to 0-2.

The Monarchs started slow, trailing 10-9 with 13:25 left in the first half. But King's received an inside bucket from Ryan Wasley, a three-pointer by Josh Bailey, and back-to-back three-pointers from Jake Barber to forge ahead 22-12 with 10:01 remaining in the opening stanza.

The Monarchs eventually took a 17-point lead when a pair of Connor Callejas foul shots gave King's a 34-17 lead with 5:00 on the clock. King's built its biggest lead of the half with 1:20 to play when Eddie Hall drained a three-pointer with 0:41 remaining as the Monarchs extended the score to 45-25. King's settled for a 45-26 lead at the break after one-of-two foul shots by Franciscan at the 0:01 mark.

The lead continued to grow in the second half as King's used a 20-4 run to start the final frame, opening up a 65-30 advantage with 14:42 remaining after an inside bucket by Wasley.

King's coach J.P. Andrejko would go deep into his bench the rest of the way as the Monarchs led by no less than 23 points the remainder of the contest.

Barber led King's with 16 points and was 4-for-5 from three-point range. Dan Rutecki followed with 15 points and five rebounds. Chris Fazzini and Wasley added seven points apiece while Callejas and Tyler Millan contributed six each. King's bench outscored Franciscan's bench 47-23 in the game.

King's will play the winner of the other first-round pairing between Susquehanna and Penn State Wilkes-Barre Saturday at 3:00 p.m.