NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – For the final time in the regular season, the Franklin men's basketball team packed up and hit the road on Friday (Feb. 19) night to head north for a meeting with conference rival Manchester University.

The game resembled a track meet with the two sides trading possessions and running the floor whenever possible. Both teams knocked down more than half of their field goal attempts, but in the end it was Franklin's (6-5) more efficient attack making the difference as they handled Manchester (2-9) an 88-76 defeat.

The Grizzlies took the lead for good on the game's first possession with a Payton Mills layup that started a 9-0 run to open the night. But the Spartans refused to give in, turning to the three ball to get back in the game and trim the lead down to a point at 18-17 with 10 minutes to go in the first half.

Franklin responded in kind with a 12-2 run that got their lead into double figures for the first time in the game and they were able to ride that to a 45-40 lead when the teams broke for halftime. The Grizzlies went 20-for-36 from the floor and 5-for-8 from three in the opening 20 minutes.

Manchester cut the lead to one score on the first possession of the second half but another big Franklin run cut off any chance for the Spartans to tie the game. Ismail Jones capped a 10-2 FC stretch that made it 55-44 with 15:40 to play. The Spartans would use their three-point prowess to get back within single digits, getting within a pair at 74-72 with 4:46 to play after their 14th triple of the evening.

Franklin's defense would shut the Spartans down the rest of the way, holding Manchester to 2-for-9 shooting and out-scoring the hosts 14-4 down the stretch.

Freshman Ty Wright had a career evening on the offensive end, leading the Grizzlies with a season-best 20 points and knocking down all four of his three-point attempts. Senior Ismail Jones notched a new career-best with 19 points and tied with Sam Gutierrez for the team lead with five assists. Franklin won the rebounding battle 34-24 and had 42 points in the paint to 28 for Manchester.

The Grizzlies and Spartans will meet again on Saturday (Feb. 20) evening in Franklin's Spurlock Center in the final game of the regular season for both teams. Tip-off is set for approximately 5:00 p.m. with senior day festivities set for before the opening tip.