LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Franklin men's basketball team closed out non-conference play on Monday (Dec. 30) night with a dominant performance and a win over Spalding University.
The Grizzlies (7-4) shot better than 50% from the field and drained 13 three-pointers on the night to stagger the Golden Eagles (5-5) and grab an 86-64 victory.
How it Happened
The game's first big run came with just under nine minutes to go in the first half, with a 12-2 Franklin run turning a two-point deficit into a 35-27 lead for the Grizzlies with five minutes to go in the first half. Franklin's lead climbed as high as 14 in before the half came to a close, with the Grizzlies eventually taking a 46-36 lead into the locker room.
Where the first half saw both sides knock down more than half of their field goal attempts, the second half saw Franklin continue their prowess from the field while Spalding dropped off. The Grizzlies' lead never dropped below 10 points in the second half, with Franklin holding Spalding to 43.5% (10-for-23) and 0-for-6 from long range over the final 20 minutes.
Inside the Box Score
-The Grizzlies knocked down 50.8% (31-for-61) of their shots on the night, going 13-for-22 from long range and 11-for-15 from the line.
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Malachi Archey led Franklin with 17 points, followed by 13 points from
Braden Flanagan and a career-high 12 points from
Jesse Faires.
- Spalding shot 51.1% (24-for-47) from the floor, but Franklin held the hosts to just 4-for-12 from three and 12-for-22 from the line.
-Rebounds were 31-27 in Spalding's favor, with
Lynn King's five boards topping the Grizzlies.
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Ryan Bostic handed out a team-high four assists, with the Grizzlies recording 17 helpers on the night.
-Turnover played a critical role in the outcome, with Franklin forcing 20 giveaways that led to 32 points.
Up Next
The rest of the season will see Franklin face off with conference opponents, and the first game of the new year will see the Grizzlies travel to Earlham on Saturday (Jan. 4) afternoon. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m.
