Wright, Juskin & Diplomats Rank Among Nation's Best in March 10 NCAA Men's Basketball Statistics

by Sports Information
3/14/03

LANCASTER, PA - Franklin & Marshall College is ranked among the nation's best Division III teams in the March 10 NCAA Men's Basketball statistics for games through March 9.

Franklin & Marshall is ranked in scoring offense (82.5, 22nd), scoring defense (64.1, 30th), scoring margin (18.4 ppg, fifth), field goal percentage (49.4, 12th), field goal percentage defense (39.3, 19th), three-point field goal percentage (41.2, sixth), rebound margin (8.0 rpg, 14th) and winning percentage (83.3, 16th).

Individually, center Steve Juskin (Jr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) rates fourth in the NCAA with 3.6 blocked shots per game, while guard Jackiem Wright (Jr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) is 11th in three-point field goal percentage with an average of 45.2 percent and 30th in three point field goals per game with an average of 3.0 as F&M concluded the season 25-5, 10-3 in the Centennial Conference.

The team's final record marks the first time the Diplomats have recorded 25 wins since the 2000 Final Four team finished 25-7. Overall, the 2003 squad is only the 10th in the 100 years of basketball at the College to finish with 25 or more wins as only the 1979 (27-5), 1981 (26-3), 1989 (27-3), 1991 (28-3), 1992 (26-4), 1994 (26-2), 1995 (27-2), 1996 (29-3), 2000 have recorded 25+ wins in a season.

In the final game of the season, Franklin & Marshall knocked off DeSales University 70-60 at home in the Mayser Center to claim the 2003 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Championship.

Historically, the title marks F&M's second ECAC Championship in as many years as the Diplomats defeated Lebanon Valley (71-59) in the semifinals and Kings College (82-65) in the championship game to claim the 2002 ECAC title.