Nov. 30, 2013

Easton, Pa. - The Lafayette's men's basketball program earned its first win of the season, defeating Penn, 79-76, on Saturday afternoon inside the Kirby Sports Center Arena.

The Leopards made three-of-four from the charity stripe within the final minute to perserve the three-point win. Junior Seth Hinrichs lead the way for the Leopards, tying his career-highs in points (28) and three-pointers made (six). Fellow junior Joey Ptasinski added 16 points and a career-high eight rebounds.

The Quakers were paced by Fran Dougherty's 26 points and a game-high nine rebounds and 16 points and four assists from Tony Hicks.

After a quick Penn bucket, Hinrichs knocked down back-to-back threes to give the Leopards an early 6-2 advantage a minute and a half into the game. The spurt increased to 10-0 on baskets by Alan Flannigan and Nathaniel Musters, but the Quakers answered and took a 15-12 lead with 11:58 to play in the opening half.

Trailing 27-21 with five minutes to play in the first half, Ptasinski scored on two straight possessions, followed by a Bryce Scott jumper, to tie the game at 27. The teams exchanged baskets the final five minutes, as Penn went into the break ahead, 38-37.

Penn opened the second half on a 4-0 run, before Hinrichs buried a three to pull the Leopards to within two, 42-40. The Quakers increased their lead to six, 46-40, but Scott answered with another Lafayette three. The Leopards went into the first media timeout of the second half down, 48-43.

A three-point play from Dougherty pushed the Quaker lead to nine, 56-47, with 14 minutes to play in the game. Lafayette answered with an 8-0 run highlighted by Hinrichs' fourth three of the afternoon, slicing the Penn lead to one, 56-55 with 11:44 on the clock. Another Hinrichs trey put the Leopards ahead 58-56.

After a Penn basket, Flannigan found Musters in the lane for an easy two. On the Quakers' next possession, Nick Lindner stole a pass and found a wide open Ptasinski on the wing for three, forcing Penn to burn a timeout, trailing Lafayette, 63-58 with eight and a half minutes to play.

Hicks answered for the Quakers out of the timeout with a three, but Scott buried another one for the Leopards to maintain the five-point edge. On Penn's next possession Hicks connected again from distance, cutting the deficit to two, 66-64.

Hinrichs drilled his sixth three-pointer from the top of the key to push the Lafayette lead to five, 71-66, with 3:43 on the clock. Then, Miles Jackson-Cartwright knocked down a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game, 71-70, at the three minute mark.

Ptasinski countered with his third three of the afternoon on Lafayette's next possession, followed by a baseline jumper from Flannigan on a feed from Lindner to increase the Leopards' cushion to 76-70. Jamal Lewis cut the lead in half with a three-point play in the final minute. Lindner knocked down a pair from the free throw line with 24.9 on the clock to push the Lafayette advantage to 78-73.

Dougherty hit a three with under ten seconds to play to trim the deficit to two, 78-76, but Ptasinski was fouled on the inbounds play and made 1-of-2 from the line to put the Leopards up three with six seconds to go. Penn's Hicks was able to get off a shot from beyond the arc before time expired but his three rattled in-and-out and the Leopards came away with the 79-76 win.

Lafayette returns to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Staten Island, N.Y. to tip off against Wagner.

Game Notes:

It was Hinrichs' fourth straight game with 20 or more points.

Ptasinski grabbed a career-high eight boards.

12 turnovers was a season-low for the Maroon and White.

Starting center Dan Trist did not play due to an injury.