MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg used a strong defensive effort to erase a double-digit deficit and defeat Franklin & Marshall 64-59 on the first day of the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic presented by Comfort Inn & Suites Harrisburg Airport - Hershey South at the Capital Union Building on Saturday night, Nov. 9.
Isaiah Eggleston scored a team-high 17 points, while Isaiah Milien finished with 15 points off the bench. Jordan Spencer also flirted with a double-double in his first collegiate game, adding 10 points and eight rebounds.
With the Lions (1-0) trailing 36-24 at halftime, Chris Henderson got the rally started with a 3-ball to begin the second half. After F&M (0-1) responded with a layup, the home team netted the next five points to cut the deficit to 38-32 at the 17:59 mark. The Diplomats pushed the lead back to a dozen with 15:48 remaining but a 7-0 run that included a Spencer layup, an Eggleston old-fashioned 3-point play, and a Mason Pulliam layup cut it five at the 12:15 mark.
Penn State Harrisburg continued to chip away until Henderson buried a straightaway 3-pointer that made it 48-48 with 7:17 left to play. The Lions pulled ahead for the first time since midway through the first half when Eggleston converted a pair of free throws with five minutes left, Milien followed it up with five in a row, and Spender made two free throws to stretch the lead to 57-50 at the 3:18 mark.
F&M pulled to within three with 2:30 left but Milien had the answers, burying a triple at the 1:45 mark and capping off his timely shooting with a long jumper with 1:11 remaining to push the advantage to 62-56. A late 3-ball from the Diplomats made it a one-possession game with 12 seconds left but the visitors were forced to foul in the closing seconds and Lance Douglas converted a pair of foul shots with eight seconds left to seal the comeback win.
NOTABLES
- Penn State Harrisburg shot 86.7 percent from the foul line (13-of-15), while F&M shot just 52.2 percent from the charity stripe (12-of-23).
- The Lions finished with a 43-28 rebounding advantage.
- Penn State Harrisburg's 17 offensive rebounds led to 20 second chance points.
- Penn State Harrisburg's bench was imperative to the win, scoring 33 points, while F&M's reserves were held scoreless.
- Eggleston scored a team-high 17 points and added three rebounds and a pair of blocks.
- Milien netted 15 off the bench and added four rebounds.
- Spencer finished two boards shy of a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
- Henderson netted nine, grabbed four boards, dished out three assists, and swiped two steals in his collegiate debut.
- Douglas pitched in with three points, five rebounds, and four assists.
- Dylan Moore chipped in with four points, six boards, two assists, and two steals off the bench.
- Pulliam had four points, three rebounds, and a pair of assists in the first game of his college career.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions face No. 3 John Carroll in the final game of the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic on Sunday afternoon. JCU defeated Albertus Magnus 108-90 in Saturday's second contest.
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