Methodist Stuns Franklin & Marshall 80-75 in Opening Round of Sponaugle Tournament

by Sports Information
11/22/02

LANCASTER, PA - Methodist received eighteen points from Brandon Mish and a twelve point ten rebound output from Joe Standley en route to a 80-75 victory over Franklin & Marshall College in the opening round of the 36th Annual Sponaugle Basketball Classic.

Methodist started off the first half with a balanced attack as eight different Monarchs found the scoring column. Mish led the way for Methodist in the first half, as he was two-for-two from three-point range to add to his nine-point output. Overall, the Monarchs shot 62.5 percent from three-point land and 59.1 total to carry a one point lead into halftime.

Trailing by 21-9 with 11:46 left in the first half, the Diplomats used strong play from center Steve Juskin (Jr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) and forward Frank Hughes (Sr., Annapolis, MD/US Naval Academy) to cut into the Methodist lead, but never take the lead. Juskin poured in 16 points and Hughes dropped in seven points and added three offensive and three defensive rebounds.

Ron Brown was the story of the second half for the Monarchs as he shot six-for-seven from the field and two-of-three from the free-throw line for fourteen-second half points. Statistically, the Monarchs were able to outshoot the Diplomats besting Franklin & Marshall 64.0% to 48.6% in the second half and 61.7% to 48.4% for the game.

The Diplomats fought hard to get back in the game during the waning minutes of the second half. Freshman Brandon Smith (Fr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) was a spark off the bench as he poured in fourteen points to lead the charge. Franklin & Marshall cut the lead to two points twice late in the second half but were unable to take the lead.

Leading 72-66 with 2:55 left, the Monarchs saw their lead dwindle to two points as Smith connected on a lay-up and point guard Duran Searles (Jr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) dropped in his first field goal of the game with 2:22 left to pull the Diplomats back into contention.

However, a three-pointer from Mish with exactly two minutes left on the game clock sealed the game for Methodist as the Diplomats never pulled within five points for the remainder of the contest.

Juskin led all scorers with 24 points shooting 11-of-17 from the field, while Asaf Ganot (Sr., Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) poured in ten points and handed out seven assists.

For the Monarchs, Brandon Mish converted on three-of-three from behind the arch and five-of-six from the field to lead Methodist College. Ron Brown added sixteen points and Joe Standley recorded a double double with twelve points and ten rebounds.

The loss marks the first time since 1984 that F&M will not advance to the title game. In 1984, Franklin & Marshall fell 65-59 versus Elizabethtown College before being edged 61-60 in the consolation game by Albright College.

Methodist College will face Marymount University, an 86-73 over Widener University in the other first round game, on Saturday at 8:00 for the Championship. At 6:00 p.m., the Diplomats will take to the floor versus Widener in the consolation game at 6:00 p.m.

Marymount University had four players in double figures, including Joaquin Jackson pouring in 24 points and Carson Robinson and Will Downey each finishing with a double-double 18 points and eleven rebounds, to lead the Saints over Widener.

Widener's Casey Stitzel and Bilal McAfee led their team as Stitzel poured in twenty-two of his twenty four points in the second half scoring twelve of the twenty-two from behind the arch. McAfee added twelve in the first half and seven in the second for nineteen total points.