GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Franciscan men's basketball team fell to Grove City in the opening round of the 2019 ECAC Tournament, Wednesday evening.
 
The Barons were led by junior Joe Schriner (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton) with 17 points while John Noce (Brewster, NY/John F. Kennedy Catholic) and sophomore Sean Hickey (North Olmstead, OH/Holy Name) each put up 12 points. Noce led the team with four assists and four steals. Junior Matt Trent (Cleveland, OH/Trinity) posted 11 rebounds to push his season total to 246, setting the school's single-season mark.
 
Franciscan got off to a quick start, leading 16-9 after the first six minutes thanks to nine points from Schriner. The Wolverines chipped away and eventually took an 11-point lead, 29-18, with 6:39 to play. A 7-2 run for Grove City over the next two minutes gave the hosts their largest lead, 36-20, with 4:06 to play in the first. Franciscan used a 10-0 run of its own over the next three and half minutes to get back to within six, 36-30, capped by a layup from Noce, with 46 seconds left before the break. Justice Rice hit the first of two free throws for Grove City in the final 13 seconds to send the teams into the break with the Wolverines leading, 37-30.
 
Hickey hit a three in Franciscan's first possession out of the break and the two teams battled back and forth, though the Barons couldn't get closer than four, 39-35. The Wolverines eventually built their lead back to 13, 60-47, with 8:42 to play but a layup from Schriner and a three from freshman Travis Lien (St. Louis, MO/) halted the Grove City run.
 
With 2:11 left, Noce got a steal and layup under the basket to give the Barons to within six and after another Grove City layup, junior Josh York (Russia, OH/Russia Local) kept the score close, 66-60, but the Barons were to foul in the final minute of action and Grove City held on for the 73-60 win.
 
The Barons wrap up their season at 13-14, setting the program's single-season win record and head coach Joe Wallace became the winningest coach for the Barons in their DII era (22 career wins).