STEUBENVILLE— It was a back and forth game until very end as the Franciscan University Baron basketball team held its own against undefeated conference foe La Roche College Monday night. Pushed into overtime at 58-58, the La Roche Red Hawks pulled away in the last minute for an astounding 73-68 victory. Despite the loss, Baron senior Thomas Kleinschnitz clinched the new school record for game points.

The loss gave the Barons an overall record of 2-12 and 2-7 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, yet no one left the courts feeling down about the game. Head coach Sean Donovan commented: "I couldn't be more proud of the boys; it was a great team effort as they took an undefeated team into overtime."

From the beginning of the game, the Barons gave the Red Hawks a major run for their money. Never being more than a few points behind—and even leading by eight at the 12-minute mark in the first half—the Barons played an incredibly intense game.

Leading the Barons throughout the game was senior co-captain Thomas Kleinschnitz. Totaling 39 points on the night, Kleinschnitz smashed the current school record of 30 points in a game held by Robert Slattery since January 2009. "Thomas played out of his mind tonight," Donovan praised. Kleinschnitz went 2-2 from the free-throw line, 5-9 from the three point arch, and 16-24 from the field.

Senior Nate Stanton notably contributed 18 points and seven rebounds, while Connor Flanagan added seven points to wrap up the majority of the Baron points. The Barons shot 66.7% from the free-throw line and 46.7% from the field. Improving on points off turnovers, the Barons totaled 13 on the night—one point shy of La Roche's 14.

The Barons travel to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford this Saturday, January 22, with a game time set for 3 p.m.