Nov. 28, 2007

Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. - Four players scored double figures with Clay Scovill leading with a game-high 17 points, including 13 in the second half to lift Franklin & Marshall over Johns Hopkins 70-61 in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action on Wednesday.

The Diplomats (3-2, 1-0 CC) held the Blue Jays (3-3, 0-1 CC) to just six field goals to take a commanding 35-12 lead in the first half and held a 42-19 rebounding margin to open the conference lidlifter with a win.

Chris Sullivan made four out of the six three-pointers by F&M, finishing with 14 points, while Brandon Chasen dished out a game-high eight assists to go with 13 points and seven rebounds. Derek Hines rounded out the double-digit scoring with 12 points and game-high nine rebounds.

Hopkins' Phil Beggans also knocked down four treys for 14 points and Doug Polster contributed 11 points.

The Diplomats never trailed in the contest and used a 22-4 run in the first 8:07 of the game en route to their ninth win out of the last 12 contests with the Blue Jays.

Chasen darted out of the gates and tallied the first six out of 10 points, before Sullivan drained consecutive three-pointers at 16-4. Hines made two free throws and a layup, while Scovill completed the run with four points on layups.

John Alberici snapped a four minute, 32 second scoring draught with a layup at the10:56 mark but Hopkins would only get six more points from that point on.

F&M took its biggest lead of the opening half in the final seconds off a Sullivan three-pointer, heading into the locker rooms with a comfortable 35-12 advantage.

The Diplomats built on its first half score, taking a 31-point lead on three treys on consecutive trips including two from and one from Sullivan. Mike Baker got F&M to 56-25 on a jumper with 13:23 left to play.

In the final 4:38 of the game, Beggans nailed three good treys for the Blue Jays but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

F&M returns to action on Saturday at Muhlenberg. Game time is 2 p.m.