STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Mount Union's men's basketball team lost a non-conference matchup 82-69 against Franciscan on Wednesday evening.
The Purple Raiders (2-1) had three players score in double figures with senior
Elijah Farrington (Massillon / Massillon Washington) leading the way with a game-high 27 points. Senior
Kevin Hamilton (Akron / St. Vincent St. Mary) scored 16 and sophomore
Cam Weekley (Massillon / Massillon Jackson) added in 10 points to round out the Raiders in double digits.
The Barons (2-1) were led by Sawyer Butler who scored a team-high 24 points, Zach Oliver who had 17 and Zachary Pollaro who scored 16 points.
Mount Union would open the game with an 11-0 run over the first 2:47 of action to take an early lead. Franciscan would cut into the lead over the next 1:47, cutting it to six points with just under 15 minutes left in the half. The teams would trade baskets over the next several minutes before a quick 7-0 run by the Barons would cut the lead to 20-19 with just over ten minutes to play in the first half. The Raiders would answer with an 11-3 run of their own over the next three and a half minutes of action to push the lead back out to nine with six and a half minutes remaining in the first half. The Barons would go on to outscore the Raiders 10-6 over the final five minutes of the first half as Mount Union would take a 37-32 lead into the halftime break.
The two teams would trade baskets back-and-forth to open the second half before Franciscan would go on a 7-0 run over the next 2:22 of game time to take their first lead of the game at 54-51 with 8:57 remaining in the game. Just under two minutes later the Barons would go on a 15-3 run to stretch their lead to the largest of the game at 13 points with just under four minutes left to play. Mount Union wouldn't be able to get closer than nine over the final 3:53 of the game as Franciscan would go on to win 82-69.
The Raiders return home next when they host Hobart on Saturday, November 14 at 1 p.m. in the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.
