BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Franklin College men's basketball team built up a big first half lead and used a late-game three-point flurry to snap a losing streak and pick up a big win at Bluffton on Saturday (Feb. 12) afternoon.

Senior Matt Krause and freshman Mitch O'Mara had 19 points each and the Grizzlies (10-13, 6-10 HCAC), who fought off a double-digit comeback from the Beavers (5-16, 1-12 HCAC) with a late-game run that paved the way to a 75-65 win.

How it Happened
O'Mara continued his string of dominance over the Beavers, scoring 11 of the Grizzlies' first 16 points. Franklin relied on a strong close to the opening half to lead by as many as 17 points in the opening 20 and take a 45-34 lead into the break. The Grizzlies shot 54.8% from the field in the opening half and knocked down eight three-pointers during that time.

Bluffton shook off the halftime deficit and fought their way to re-take the lead at 57-56 with 9:50 to go in the contest. Down by a point with four minutes to go, Franklin turned to the long ball to take control of the game with Krause, Cody Samples and Lynn King combining for four threes as part of a 13-0 run that closed the game out. The Grizzly defense was not to be overlooked, as they held Bluffton to just one field goal over the final five minutes of regulation.

Inside the Box Score
-Franklin shot 48.3% (28-for-58) from the field, knocking down 14 threes on the night.
-The Grizzly defense held Bluffton to 42.6% (23-for-54) shooting, with the Beavers shooting only 32.3% (10-for-31) over the final 20 minutes of play.
-O'Mara finishes the year averaging 26.0 points per game against the Beavers, after going for a career-high 33 against Bluffton earlier this year.
-Rebounds were 34-32 in Bluffton's favor, with Carter Crowe's seven boards topping all Grizzlies.
-Freshman Trey Flatt finished with nine points and served as the top facilitator on the day with a career-high eight assists.

Up Next
Franklin closes out their home schedule on Tuesday (Feb. 15) night, when they host Mount St. Joseph on Senior Night. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.