Game Notes

The Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team (2023: 20-7, 14-4 CC) begins a new campaign with matchups against Penn State Harrisburg and Albertus Magnus in the Penn State Tip-Off Classic. Nick Nichay begins year six as head coach of the Diplomats and looks to follow up on the program's second consecutive Centennial Conference playoffs appearance. A full season preview is available here.

Last Time vs. Penn State Harrisburg

The #9 Diplomats hosted the Lions in the only contest to date between the teams in the 2012-13 season opener, earning a 66-37 victory. The Diplomats pushed out to an early 15-3 lead within the first seven minutes, holding a margin of about a dozen points to halftime with a 31-21 lead at the break. F&M consistently pushed its lead further in the second half, holding a 58-33 lead with five minutes to go. F&M shot 47.1% from the floor while the Lions were held to a 26.2% field goal percentage. Hayk Gyochyan led the team with 16 points and nine rebounds to start a season where he was a Third Team NABC All-American and Centennial Conference Player of the Year. Jon Salandra led the Diplomats with five assists alongside seven points. Read the full recap here.  

Penn State Harrisburg Team Preview

Don Friday enters his 11th season in charge of the Lions and looks to follow up a 25-5, 11-1 United East season that earned the program's third NCAA Tournament berth and third conference championship. They'll look to replace three regular starters from last season including NABC Second Team All-American and United East Conference Player of the Year Donyae Baylor-Carroll (18.6 PPG, 3.50 STL/G), Nate Curry (14.0 PPG, 8.6 REB/G), and Alex Leiba (1.5 BLK/G 6.0 REB/G). They'll return contributors from last season in Lance Douglas (4.0 REB/G, 2.1 A/TO), Chase Robinson (3.7 AST/G, 1.6 STL/G), Isaiah Milien (80.0 FG%), and Isaiah Eggleston (7.3 PPG). 

Albertus Magnus Team Preview

The Falcons were picked to finish in third place in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll ahead of a 22-5, 13-1 GNAC campaign a year ago that earned them an appearance in the GNAC tournament semifinal. They enter the new season just two seasons removed from their lost GNAC Championship which marked Mitch Oliver's eighth as head coach. The Falcons return several key contributors from a season ago including Kevin Crawford (2.0 STL/G, 10.4 PPG), Ta'zhon Daniels (1.8 A/TO, 81.9 FT%), Jeyson Slade (3.6 AST/G, 1.7 STL/G), Malcom Duncanson (7.0 PPG), and Deivone Tanksley (6.6 REB/G), but they will have to replace the minutes of All-GNAC First Team player Justice Washington (16.7 PPG, 11.1 REB/G) and Second Team recipient Antonio Bonilla (15.1 PPG).