WESTMINSTER, Md. – Josh McKay (Baltimore,
Md./Eastern Tech) recorded a double-double with a
season-best 21 points and 12 rebounds to go with four blocked shots
and three steals, leading McDaniel to a 66-57 Centennial Conference
(CC) men's basketball victory over No. 21 Franklin &
Marshall on Tuesday.
The Green Terror (9-3, 4-1 CC), who also got nine points, seven
rebounds, five assists and five steals from Chad Arrington
(Randallstown, Md./Randallstown), improved to 5-0 in
January with its second consecutive victory over a team ranked in
the d3hoops.com poll. McDaniel defeated Ursinus on Saturday, who
was also ranked 21st at the time.
James McNally led the Diplomats (11-1, 4-1 CC)
with 15 points while Clay Scovill added
13.
McDaniel, which entered the game with Division III's
11th-best scoring defense, held Franklin & Marshall
25 points below its season average. One of three remaining
undefeated teams in Division III entering Tuesday, the Diplomats
were averaging 82.3 points per game – 25th best in
the nation.
The Green Terror, behind baskets from four different players,
opened up a 9-0 lead 3:17 into the contest before Mike
Baker finally got Franklin & Marshall on the board at
the 16:18 mark with a layup and foul.
Through the game's first 7:15, McDaniel opened up a 13-point
advantage, building a 19-6 lead on 10-for-13 shooting (.769) while
holding the Diplomats – the nation's fifth-ranked
shooting team – to 2 of 11 from the floor and forced seven
turnovers.
The Green Terror opened up a lead as large as 15 in the first half
en route to a 35-24 edge at the break before adding the first five
points of the second half to push the lead to its largest margin at
40-24.
Trailing 60-51 with 3:10 to play, Franklin & Marshall netted
six of the game's next seven points to close within four but
McDaniel went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final 30.1
seconds to seal the victory.
McDaniel returns to action at home against Washington (Md.) on
Thursday. Game time is 8 p.m.
-30-
