PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Franciscan men's basketball team suffered a 103-67 loss to host La Roche College Red Hawks in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opener for both teams, Wednesday night.

Sophomore Juwan Perkins had a career night for the Barons as he led all players with 24 points, going 10-for-15 from the floor and hitting the only three he took. Perkins pulled down five rebounds while added a block and an assist for FUS.

Perkins and freshman Joe Schriner combined for five points in the first two minutes of the game to pull the Barons even with the Red Hawks at 5-5. FUS and La Roche traded jumpers until junior Keoni Sablan hit the back end of a trip to the free throw line and Evan Bonnaure made a layup for La Roche to extend its lead to 11-8. Perkins answered with a jumper to get the Barons to within one with 15:48 to play. After a free throw from Ray Quan Phifer pushed the lead back to two, Perkins hit a layup and tied the game at 12-12. After a trip to the line for the Red Hawks extended their lead to two, Schriner sunk a long three to give the Barons their first lead of the game, 15-14, with 13:46 to play in the half.

The Red Hawks and Barons traded layups to keep the Barons in the lead 17-16 but La Roche pushed its lead to three with a pair of free throws and a layup. Senior Derrick David evened the score at 20-20 with a deep three with 11:05 to play. The Red Hawks pulled away with five unanswered points to take a 25-20 lead but Perkins halted the run with a layup at 8:11. La Roche took an eight point lead before Sablan cut it back to five with a three from a pass from junior Garrison Holmes. The Red Hawks answered with a three of their own and pushed their lead to 12 points after a free throw from Andy Abreu. Freshman Josh York but La Roche remained in control and led by as many as 18 points before the half ended. David finished out the half with a layup sending the two teams into the locker room with a 49-33 score in favor of the Red Hawks.

La Roche came out of the break firing and used a 25-9 run in the first six and half minutes to take a 74-42 lead. Perkins cut the lead back to 29 with a layup and a free throw to bring the score to 74-45, but the Red Hawks were firmly in control and continued to build on their lead. After a jumper from Abreu gave La Roche a 34-point lead, 86-50, Sablan and York hit three free throws between them to get within 33, 86-53, with 7:15 to play. Perkins showed off his vertical with 4:53 to play as he grabbed a steal and finished the play with a dunk to cut the lead back to 31, 92-61.

The Barons were unable to get any closer, despite four more points from Perkins and a layup from freshman Michael Mendicino, and the Red Hawks won the first AMCC contest for both teams, 103-67.

Sablan and York finished the day with 12 points each while York pulled down a team-best seven rebounds and three blocks. Sablan chipped in six assists and Schriner added four assists to his eight points.

The Barons welcome Penn State Behrend to Kuzma Court on Saturday for a 4pm tipoff.