STEUBENVILLE, Oh.— The Franciscan University men's basketball team faced Penn. State-Behrend today and despite a strong effort on the defensive end, fell in a final score of 65-26.

"Tonight it was just about a joint- team defensive effort and while it was unfortunate that we weren't able to put the ball in the hole, it wasn't by a lack of trying. It just wasn't our night for the ball to fall," head coach John Lamanna said. "I would have liked to have had a better offensive game, but this is part of our growth as a team."

The Barons were plagued throughout the game by turnovers, which resulted in fast-break offensive plays and the majority of Behrend's point. Combined with 24 percent shooting from the field, FUS just couldn't put up enough points to stay competitive.

Lamanna was pleased, however, with the defense's response to Behrend.

"We've proven prior to this game that we're capable of scoring more than 26 points, so we already know the offense can click, but this is the first time we've put a full forty minute game together defensively," Lamanna said. "We have specific defensive goals and we really achieved a few of those that we have not been able to achieve all season."

One such highlight was 6'7", freshman forward Joseph Rine's three defensive blocks on the night. Rine is now ranked second in NCAA Division III basketball in blocks, helping put the team at thirteenth in the nation in blocks out of 408 teams.

"It's very exciting to see that finally the defense has started to click a bit," Lamanna said. "Now, it's a matter of bringing this together and that's part of the process. It's not going to come at once. It's going to come in pieces and that gap will slowly get bridged. This was the first game we're experienced that gap slowly closing, regardless of the point spread."

The Barons will face the University of Pitt-Bradford at home tomorrow, January 6 at 3 pm.