Box Score
The Lions shot a blistering 71 percent from the field in the first half, grabbing a five-point lead at the intermission, and held off a late charge by Franklin College as they recorded a 92-86 road win on Saturday afternoon. The Mount, 5-3 overall, 2-1 in the HCAC, will return to action on Dec. 18 at Augustana College.
The two teams played close throughout the first half, with times at nine, 11 and 24, before Franklin College took a 30-27 lead wuith 7:58 in the clock. Joel Scudder (Greendale, IN/South Dearborn) hit a three-point shot at 2:40 of the first half to give the Lions a late first half lead, 41-40, and Andy Countryman (Peebles, OH/Peebles) also drilled a shot from long range to put the Mount ahead 46-42 with 1:21 remaining in the first half. Mark Allen (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) converted a lay-up with two seconds left in the half to give the Lions a 48-43 advantage at the break. The Mount connected on 71 percent from the field in the first half, making 17-of-24 shots, inclduing seven of nine from behind the three-point arc. Franklin College also was effective from the field, hitting 65 percent of their shots and making seven, three-pointers in the opening half. Scudder left the first half charge with 13 points, making three, three-point shots.
The Mount pushed their lead out to eight points early in the second half (18:49) and held a comfortable lead throughout most of the second half. Leading by a 57-54 score with 16:26 left in the game, the Lions went on a 13-0 run over the next 3:05 to go ahead 70-54. Franklin would whittle down the deficit to four points twice in the game, one at 2:33 on a three-point play, and the last time at 0:15 on a three-point shot, making the score 90-86. The Grizzlies, however, would get no closer.
Scudder and Allen each recorded 22 points while Femi Thompson (Cincinnati, OH/Aiken) came off the bench to add 13 points. David Mann (Fairfield, OH/Cincinnati Christian) and Countryman each chipped in 12 points. Mann also ahd a team-high eight rebounds. Ken Kunkel (Cincinnati, OH/Colerain) finished with 11 points and six rebounds. The Mount out-shot Franklin College, 65.4 to 50 percent from the field in the game, making eight-of-12 three-point shots. The Grizzlies converted 16-of-31 three-point attempts. The Mount held a 34-21 advantate in the rebounding department.
