F&M Ranks 18th in February 24 Lazindex.com Division III Men's Basketball Poll

by Sports Information
2/24/04

LANCASTER, PA -- The Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team is ranked 18th in the nation and first in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the February 24 Lazindex.com Power Rankings.

Ranked #11 in the February 24 D3hoops.com national poll, Franklin & Marshall (21-3, 16-1 Centennial Conference) is one of the most successful programs in the history of NCAA Division III basketball with a record of 1,119-791 record.

The February 23 Centennial Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, point guard Duran Searles (Sr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) led the team last week as the 6-1 guard averaged 33.0 points on 69.4% from the floor in victories over McDaniel (86-49 W) and Washington (96-78 W).

Against Washington, he connected on 13-of-21 field goal attempts, including two-of-four from beyond the arc, and eight-of-14 at the free-throw line for a career high 36 points while handing out seven assists.

He was unstoppable in the second half stroking nine-of-12 attempts, including two-of-two from beyond the arc, and six-of-11 at the free-throw line as #14 ranked F&M outscored the Shoremen 50-42 down the stretch to expand a 46-36 halftime lead and roll to the 16-point victory.

For Searles, the performance marked his second straight 30-point performance as he connected on 12-of-14 field goal attempts and four-of-four at the free throw line for a game high 30 points while handing out seven assists in an 86-49 victory over McDaniel on February 18.

The back-to-back 30 point games marked the third time an F&M player has achieved the feat. Most recently, Jerome Maiatico '00 dropped 42 in an 89-87 loss to RPI on January 9, 1998 at the Greyhound Classic hosted by Moravian College. In the consolation game, Maiatico returned to the court to register 34 points versus Dickinson in a 93-89 loss.

The first Diplomat to achieve the feat was F&M Hall of Fame member Gus Lovett '54 who scored 34 on December 12, 1953 at the University of Virginia in a 94-70 loss. In the Diplomats' next game he tallied another 34 points in a 97-68 rout of Ursinus College in Lancaster on December 15, 1953.

Prior to Searles' 30 point performance against McDaniel, the last Diplomat to hit for 30-points was guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) who dropped 34 versus Lincoln on January 4, 2002 in the Rotary Tournament title game at Mayser and tallied 30 on December 7, 2002 in a 93-70 rout of Muhlenberg College at Mayser.

Historically, Searles became the first Diplomat to score 30 or more points on the road since Alex Kraft dropped in 33 in an 81-73 win at Dickinson while leading Franklin & Marshall to the 2000 Final Four.

Overall, the tally marked the third 30-point game of Searles career as the senior guard netted 33 points on November 18, 2000 to lead his team to a 95-87 victory over Elizabethtown at the Mayser Center in the Sponaugle Tournament Championship game.

Over his career, Searles has been among the Centennial Conference's most prolific scorers as he has combined with center Steve Juskin (Sr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) as the duo rank fourth all-time in scoring with a combined 2,606 points.

In addition, he ranks among the Conference's all-time best in assists (sixth, 342), three point field goals (fourth, 187) and steals (fourth, 184) as Searles is now 14 steals away from resetting the CC career record of 197 held by Billy Hagan of Dickinson.

In F&M history, he is tied with Mark Worley '79 for 14th in scoring (1,233 points), while ranking sixth in assists, eighth in steals and second in three-point field goals.

In the latest Centennial Conference statistics for the 2004 season, he ranks among the CC leaders in scoring (14.1 ppg, 13th), field goal percentage (.532, seventh), assists (3.75 apg, fourth), steals (1.88 spg, third), three point field goal percentage (.407, seventh), three point field goals (2.08 pg, sixth) and assist/turnover ratio (1.70, third).

Individually the Diplomats starting "five" rank a top the conference as guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) ranks in scoring (12.0 ppg, 17th), steals (1.58 spg, seventh) and three point field goals (2.42 pg, third).

Down low, forward/guard Brandon Smith (So., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) ranks in scoring (11.2 ppg, 21st), rebounding (5.8 rpg, 13th), steals (1.96 spg, second), three point field goal percentage (.363, 14th), three point field goals (1.38 pg, 15th), blocked shots (0.62 bpg, 14th), offensive rebounds (1.88 rpg, 14th) and defensive rebounds (3.96 rpg, 14th), while forward Bobby Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) ranks in scoring (16.1 ppg, seventh), rebounding (6.9 rpg, sixth), field goal percentage (.615, third), free throw percentage (.788, ninth), blocked shots (0.92 bpg, eighth), offensive rebounds (3.25 rpg, second).

Preseason All-America center Juskin ranks in scoring (14.6 ppg, 10th), rebounding (6.4 rpg, ninth), field goal percentage (.523, ninth), assists (3.62 apg, fifth), blocked shots (3.79 bpg, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.18, sixth), offensive rebounds (2.04 rpg, eighth), defensive rebounds (4.38 rpg, ninth).

Off the bench, reserve guard Logan Outerbridge (Fr., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) ranks in steals (1.38 spg, 10th) and three point field goal percentage (.429, third).

As a team the Diplomats rank among the CC leaders in scoring offense (82.7 ppg, first), scoring margin (+19.0 ppg, first), field goal percentage (.505, first), field goal percentage defense (.408, first), rebounding offense (38.0 rpg, first), rebounding margin (+7.5 rpg, first), blocked shots (6.21 bpg, first), assists (17.46 apg, first), steals (9.46 spg, first), turnover margin (+4.42, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.17, first), offensive rebounds (13.25 rpg, first), home attendance (1105 pg, first), total attendance (832 pg, first), scoring defense (63.7 ppg, second), three point field goal percentage (.366, second), rebounding defense (30.5 rpg, second), three point field goals (7.21 pg, third), road attendance (450 pg, third) and defensive rebounds (24.79 rpg, fourth).

The Diplomats will continue the season on February 24 at Johns Hopkins University in the regular season finale. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m.

A computer generated ranking based upon record, winning percentage, strength of schedule and margin of victory in Division III games, the Lazindex is available online at www.lazindex.com.

2004 Lazindex.com National Rankings (Through February 23)
1. Hanover
2. Rochester
3. UW-Whitewater
4. Wheaton (IL)
5. Randolph Macon
6. UW-Stevens-Point
7. Wittenberg
8. Lawrence
9. Williams
10. Wooster
11. Hampdeny-Sydney
12. UW-River Falls
13. Gustavus Adolphus
14. Illinois Wesleyan
15. Otterbein
16. Trinity (TX)
17. Ohio Northern
18. Franklin & Marshall
19. Maryville (TN)
20. Amherst
21. Puget Sound
22. Washington (MO)
23. Buena Vista
24. John Carroll
25. Augustana

2004 Lazindex.com Regional Rankings (Through February 23)
1. Franklin & Marshall
2. DeSales
3. Gwynedd Mercy