The Muhlenberg men's basketball team looked poised to upset a second ranked team in a span of four days, but a late Franklin & Marshall rally resulted in a 77-70 defeat.
 
Continuing their push for the fifth and final CC playoff spot, the Mules (9-12, 7-7 CC) led through most of the first half and took a 33-29 advantage into the halftime break. Muhlenberg kept the momentum going to start the second half, going up by as many as 17 after a layup from senior JeanLee Baez made it 51-34.
 
The Diplomats (18-3, 12-2 CC), who entered the game ranked 23rd, slowly began their comeback with 12:39 left, going on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 56-51. Senior Nick Rindock ended the run with a three-point play, but Franklin & Marshall proceeded to score the next eight points to tie the game at 59 with 7:17 remaining.
 
Sophomore Matt Gnias drew a foul and made both free throws to give Muhlenberg the lead back, but a Diplomat three-pointer flipped the lead to the home team. Gnias drew another foul, this time on a three-point shot, and he made all three from the charity stripe to put the Mules back ahead 64-63.
 
F&M retook the lead on its next possession and built a six-point lead when Rindock converted another tough layup while fouled, making the added free throw to cut the deficit to three with one minute left. The Diplomats, however, held the Mules in check the rest of the way to secure the win.
 
Gnias (pictured above) led Muhlenberg with 22 points, making all nine of his free throw attempts. Rindock and Baez each added 11 points, with Rindock pulling down eight rebounds and Baez grabbing seven boards.

Senior Owen McLeod also finished with seven rebounds, matching his career-high, to go with four steals. He now is seventh in Mule history with 120 career steals.
 
Senior Alex Mitton contributed six points and four rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.
 
With the loss, Muhlenberg remains one game back of Dickinson (8-6), who lost to Johns Hopkins, in the CC standings. Both teams have four games remaining, with Dickinson owning the tiebreaker thanks to two wins over Muhlenberg this season.