BRYN MAWR, Pa. - It was another tough Centennial Conference showdown for the Bryn Mawr basketball team earlier Monday night at home. The Owls took back to the floor in the Class of 1958 Gymnasium to take on Franklin & Marshall in a return to action after the Thanksgiving break. It was a night for the bigs, as both teams got strong performances from their forwards on the night. Halena Martin and Sydney Collins combined for 15 points on the night to lead the Owls, while Franklin & Marshall got a game-high 18 points from Kristin Hamill. It was a tough shooting night for the Owls though, and the Diplomats used their height advantage across the board to take a 74-24 win on the night.

Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the basket in the early going, as the game started with 2:36 of scoreless basketball. Franklin & Marshall finally broke the seal with an and-one layup down low by Kenna Williams, but Bryn Mawr kept things close early with baskets from Martin and Collins. However, an 11-0 run from the visitors gave them an 18-4 lead, and Bryn Mawr could only answer back with a single free throw from Odinaka Oranekwu, giving the Diplomats a 13-point advantage after one quarter. Things didn't get much better for the hosts from there, as F&M opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run to stretch the lead to 20. May Hanlon provided a bright spot in the period with a deep three from the right wing, and Ella Kotsen hit a jumper from the elbow as the clock expired on the quarter, but the Diplomats took a commanding 33-10 lead to the locker room at the half.

Offensively, Bryn Mawr did improve somewhat in the third quarter, as the Owls doubled their scoring output in that frame alone. Brendan Harrison got things going with another deep three, and then Martin scored back-to-back baskets for the Owls. Later on, Sydney Collins made a nice post move to get a shot off around her defender, and the first-year forward would later split a pair of free throws to get Bryn Mawr to 20 points. In the fourth quarter, Collins and Martin would score the lone baskets for Bryn Mawr, and Franklin & Marshall was able to coast away to the big win. The Diplomats proved dominant down low, pulling down 17 offensive rebounds in the game and scoring 19 second chance points off of those opportunities. The Diplomats also tallied 26 points off of 21 Bryn Mawr turnovers.

The Owls will be right back in action on Wednesday night, as this week is a busy three-game week for Bryn Mawr. Washington College will play host to the Owls on Wednesday night in Chestertown, with gametime slated for 6:00 PM on the 4th.