Feb. 6, 2008

Box Score

BALTIMORE, Md. - Doug Polster led three players in double figures with a team-high 15 points to lead Johns Hopkins over Franklin & Marshall 64-59 in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action on Wednesday night.

The Blue Jays (12-8, 8-5 CC) never trailed in the game to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot and even the regular-season series with the Diplomats (11-9, 6-7 CC). Collin Kamm and Andrew Farber-Miller added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Derek Hines went 9-for-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line for a game-high 23 points. He also added a team-high eight rebounds, while James McNally registered 19 points.

Just when the F&M would get close to cracking the Blue Jays throughout the contest, Hopkins managed to keep a small edge and hold on for the victory.

Coming off nine points in the first half, Hines opened the second stanza with four points to get within four at 35-31. John Alberici and Kevin Roach tallied two points apiece for a 39-32 lead at 14:29, but Anthony Brooks drained a three-pointer and Hines' jumper made it a two-point game.

The Diplomats were able cut the lead to one with 7:11 left and McNally had a shot sit on the rim but fall out at what could have been the basket to help F&M take its first lead.

It came down to free-throw shooting for the Blue Jays down the stretch, while keeping the Diplomats to just two field goals in the final five minutes for the crucial conference win.

Hopkins took its biggest lead of the game at 14-5 off seven points from Polster in the first 7:33 of the game.

McNally recorded the next seven straight points to pull F&M within five at 14-9. Adam Baumgartner tallied his first points of the night on a jumper to give the Blue Jays an eight-point lead, but Hines sandwiched two three-point plays in between another jumper to get it to 25-22 with 3:29 left.

Farber-Miller made two from the line and Kamm drove in for the layup for a 29-22 lead. McNally ended the half with five consecutive points, getting the third three-point play for the Diplomats and laying one in the paint but Baumgartner was able to sneak the last basket in with a jumper down the middle for a 33-27 lead at intermission.

F&M returns to action on Saturday at Washington. Game time is 4 p.m.