January 10, 2009
Diplomats Immune To Shoremen, 75-68
Kohlrus Leads All Players With 21 Points

CHESTERTOWN, MD – James McNally scored a team-best 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting, along with eight rebounds, as visiting Franklin & Marshall downed host Washington College, 75-68, in a Centennial Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Cain Athletic Center. The Diplomats improved to 11-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play with the win, while the Shoremen drop to 4-7 and 1-3 with the loss.

Washington led 19-16 following a layup by freshman guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) with 11:55 left in the first half before the Diplomats went on a 18-9 run over the next 10:02 to take their largest lead of the first half at 34-28 on a tip-in by Clay Scovill. The Shoremen would respond by scoring seven of the final nine points to close the F&M lead to 36-35 at halftime, capped off by a driving layup by junior guard Andrew Chambers (Williamsport, MD/St. Maria Goretti).

The Shoremen netted the opening five points of the second half to take a 40-36 lead, before the Diplomats answered with five points of their own to take a 41-40 lead. Breslin would give Washington its last lead at 44-43 on a jumper with 16:46 left. F&M responded with seven straight points to take a 50-44 lead with 14:30 to go in the contest. The spurt was capped off by a jumper by Georgio Milligan. The Diplomats would build up their biggest lead to 61-49 with 8:57 left as Milligan hit a free throw to complete a traditional three-point play.

Washington stormed back with a 12-1 run over the next 1:47 to close the deficit to 62-61. The run was capped on a three-point hoop by senior guard Tim Kohlrus (Fairfax, VA/W.T. Woodson) with 7:10 to go. F&M would score the next five points and the Shoremen would only get as close as three points the rest of the way.

F&M got 19 points from Milligan and 11 points and a game best nine rebounds from Mike Baker. Steve Tolliver netted 12 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range. Scovill added 11 points and dished out a game-best six assists.

Washington got a game-high 21 points from Kohlrus, who led the Shoremen in scoring for the seventh time this season. Junior forwards Alan Kines (Towson, MD/Towson) and James Whall (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) dropped in 10 points apiece.

Franklin & Marshall shot 61% from the floor and 60% from three-point range, while Washington shot just 39% from the field in the contest. F&M controlled the rebounding margin, 36-26. F&M outscored Washington in the paint 40-28, but Washington held a 26-12 edge on points off of turnovers. The Diplomats had 23 turnovers to just 17 for the Shoremen.

The Shoremen return to action Tuesday with a 7:00 p.m. Centennial Conference game at Muhlenberg.

BOX SCORE