STEUBENVILLE – The Francsican men's basketball team dropped its Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference matchup against Penn State Behrend, 82-55, Saturday afternoon.
 
Franciscan jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first minute of the game thanks to a pair of jumpers from juniors John Noce (Brewster, NY/John F. Kennedy) and Matt Trent (Cleveland, OH/Trinity) but the Lions tied the game at 4-4 with 17:39 to play and did not lose the lead for the rest of the contest.
 
Andy Niland gave the Lions the lead for good with a three-pointer with 14:32 to play as Behrend led 11-8. Niland hit another three and Kenny Fukon made a pair of free throws to give the visitors a 16-8 lead. Trent cut the deficit back down to six thanks to a layup but that woud be as close as the Barons would get for the contest. With 10:55 to go, Nolan Nuara kicked off a 15-8 run over eight minutes to give Behrend a 17 point lead, 37-20, with 2:11 left in the half.
 
Noce cut the lead back down to 15, 37-22, but the Lions took the final shot of the half, a three-pointer from Fukon, to take a 40-22 lead into the break.
 
Malike Brinson pushed the lead to 21, 43-22, just 23 seconds into the second half as the Lions solidified their control on the game. Sophomore Sean Hickey (North Olmstead, OH/Holy Name) got the lead back to 18 with a three and after another three from Brinson, hickey hit a jumoer to trim the deficit to 19, 46-27, with 16:07 to play. That would be as close as the Barons would get as the Lions cruised to the 82-55 win.
 
Hickey led the Barons with 14 points while Trent pulled down seven boards and six points.
 
The Barons get back into action Wednesday when they welcome Penn State Altoona to Kuzma Court for an 8pm tip off.