BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Franciscan men's basketball team battled until the very end but the D'Youville Spartans were able to hang on for a 73-65 win in AMCC action, Saturday afternoon.

Franciscan raced out to an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game thanks to a pair of three pointers from Juwan Perkins and Keoni Sablan sandwiched around a layup from Garrison Holmes. The Spartans worked their way back in with a three and a layup to cut the Baron lead to 8-5 but Joe Schriner hit a three at 16:45 to extend the lead back to 11-5. Franciscan maintained the lead for most of the first half, despite D'Youville knocking on the door. With 11:10 to play, the Spartans hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead down to one, 15-14, but Schriner answered with a pair of free throws of his own to maintain a three-point lead, 17-14.

Freshman John Noce used a perfect trip to the line to extend the lead to five, 19-14, but Jake Socha knocked down a pair of jumpers for the Spartans to get them within one with 8:23 to play. Holmes pushed the lead back to three with a layup at 7:33 and the Spartans answered with a jumper on their next possession. Noce took a foul and went 2-for-2 at the line. The two teams seemed to have an answer for each other throughout the rest of the first half as Franciscan kept the Spartans from taking the lead until 1:26 remained on the clock and Zach Blask hit a pair of free throws to give DYC its first lead of the game, 35-33. Steve Kunelius made a three pointer with 22 seconds left before the half to give the Spartans their largest lead of the game until that point, 38-33, as the two teams headed into the locker room.

The late first half lead turned out to be the momentum that the Spartans needed as they carried and kept their lead into the second half. Franciscan continued to battle, however, and never allowed DYC to build a double-digit lead and fought until the very end. With 1:59 to play, Schriner hit a deep three pointer thanks to an assist from Sablan to trim the deficit to three, 66-63, but Will Vanauken made a jumper on the side of the court to give the Spartans a five-point advantage, 68-63. The Spartans made five free throws in the final minute and a half to seal the 73-65 win.

Perkins led the Barons with his second double-double of the season, 15 points and 11 rebounds, while posting six steals. Sablan added 11 points to his two assists and two steals. Holmes finished the day with 10 points and four steals for the Barons.

Franciscan returns home next Saturday as the Barons tip off against Medaille at 4pm.