F&M Ranks 14th in February 17 Lazindex.com Division III Men's Basketball Rankings

by Sports Information
2/17/04

LANCASTER, PA -- The Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team is ranked 14th in the nation and first in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the February 17 Lazindex.com Power Rankings.

Ranked #14 in the February 17 D3hoops.com national poll, Franklin & Marshall (19-3, 14-1 Centennial Conference) is one of the most successful programs in the history of NCAA Division III basketball with a record of 1,117-791 record.

Center Steve Juskin (Sr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) led the team last week as he averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks as the Diplomats defeated Dickinson (88-44 W) and Muhlenberg (75-52 W) at home in the Mayser Center to clinch home court advantage for the Centennial Conference Playoff Tournament on February 28 & 29.

Against Dickinson, Juskin chipped in 20 points, five rebounds, four blocked shots and a game high six assists to raise his season numbers to 335 points, 142 rebounds, 83 assists and 84 blocked shots.

For his career, he ranks 11th in scoring (1,353 points), 10th in rebounding (682 rebounds) and first in blocked shots (300 blocks) in Centennial Conference history.

In the latest Centennial Conference statistics, he ranks among the CC leaders in scoring (15.2 ppg, eighth), rebounding (6.5 rpg, eighth), field goal percentage (.532, eighth), assists (3.77 apg, fourth), blocked shots (3.82 bpg, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.26, seventh), offensive rebounds (2.09 rpg, seventh) and defensive rebounds (4.36 rpg, eighth).

Individually the Diplomats starting "five" rank a top the conference as point guard Duran Searles (Sr., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) rates in scoring (12.4 ppg, 16th), field goal percentage (.497, 13th), assists (3.45 apg, fifth), steals (1.77 spg, third), three-point field goal percentage (.404, seventh), three point field goals (2.09 pg, seventh) and assist/turnover ratio (1.58, fourth).

Guard Jackiem Wright (Sr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) ranks in scoring (11.8 ppg, 18th), steals (1.45 spg, ninth) and three point field goals (2.36 pg, third).

Down low, forward/guard Brandon Smith (So., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) ranks in scoring (11.4 ppg, 19th), rebounding (5.7 rpg, 12th), steals (1.86 spg, second), three point field goal percentage (.357, 15th), three point field goals (1.36 pg, 15th), blocked shots (0.68, 12th), offensive rebounds (1.91 rpg, tenth) and defensive rebounds (3.77 rpg, 13th), while forward Bobby Lynch (Jr., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) ranks in scoring (16.1 ppg, sixth), rebounding (6.8 rpg, fifth), field goal percentage (.609, third), free throw percentage (.785, 10th), blocked shots (0.95 bpg, seventh) and offensive rebounds (3.14 rpg, second).

Off the bench, reserve guard Logan Outerbridge (Fr., Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) ranks in steals (1.37 spg, 11th) while leading the Conference in three-point field goal percentage (.447, first).

Overall, Franklin & Marshall ranks among the CC team leaders in scoring offense (82.0 ppg, first), scoring margin (+18.3 ppg, first), field goal percentage (.409, first), blocked shots (6.32 bpg, first), assists (17.23 apg, first), steals (9.05 spg, first), turnover margin (+4.55, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.18, first), offensive rebounds (13.18 rpg, first), scoring defense (63.7 ppg, second), rebounding defense (30.9 rpg, second), rebounding margin (+7.0 rpg, second), three point field goal percentage (.364, third), rebounding offense (37.9 rpg, third), three point field goals made (7.23 pg, third) and defensive rebounds (24.73 rpg, fourth).

Last week, Franklin & Marshall College head coach Glenn Robinson made history as the team's victory over Muhlenberg marked the 667th of Robinson's career to reset the NCAA Division III wins record.

Robinson, who improved his career record to 667-234 with the victory, now stands 12th among all active NCAA coaches in victories and has already surpassed legendary UCLA coach John Wooden (664-112) for 25th on the all-time list.

In his 33rd year at F&M, Robinson has guided the Diplomats to the Division III Final Four four times (1979, 1991, 1996 and 2000) and was named the Basketball Times Division III "Coach of the Year" in 1991. He has earned conference and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) regional "Coach of the Year" honors 11 times.

Currently, he holds the ninth best winning percentage in NCAA history as his mark has been bettered by only Kentucky's Adolph Rupp (.822), UCLA's John Wooden (.804), UNLV/Fresno State's Jerry Tarkanian (.784), North Carolina's Dean Smith (.776), Duke's Mike Krzyewski (.745), Northern State's Don Meyer (.743), Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (.743) and Arizona's Lute Olson (.741).

Robinson and the Diplomats will return to action on February 18 at home versus McDaniel. 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 16)
1. Hanover
2. UW-Whitewater
3. Rochester
4. Randolph Macon
5. Lawrence
6. UW-Stevens Point
7. Williams
8. Wheaton (IL)
9. Hampden-Sydney
10. Wooster
11. Wittenberg
12. Ohio Northern
13. Trinity (TX)
14. Franklin & Marshall
15. Amherst
16. Otterbein
17. UW-River Falls
18. Gustavus-Adolphus
19. Maryville (TN)
20. Washington (MO)
21. Trinity (CT)
22. Baldwin-Wallace
23. Illinois Wesleyan
24. Buena Vista
25. Augustana (IL)

2004 Lazindex.com Regional Rankings (Through February 16)
1. Franklin & Marshall
2. Gwynedd Mercy
3. DeSales
4. Catholic
5. Kings