LANCASTER, Pa. - Christopher Newport defeated host Franklin & Marshall Saturday night, 74-66, in the title game of the William Marshall Tipoff Tournament at Mayser Gymnasium. Junior Jason Aigner scored a game-high 19 points, and was named the two-day tourney's MVP. The Captains are now 3-1 to start the 2019-2020 season, while the Diplomats fell to 1-1.

Aigner scored 14 of his 19 points in the opening half, helping the Captains secure a 42-37 lead at the intermission. He finished the game six of ten from the field, and five of seven from three-point range. Aigner scored 34 points in the two Christopher Newport wins in the tournament, and was joined by senior Luther Gibbs on the All-Tournament team. Gibbs contributed ten points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block against the Diplomats after also filling up the stat sheet Friday with seven points, six rebounds, four steals, and three assists in CNU's opening-round win over Marywood. 

The Captains took the lead for the first time Saturday night at the 16:20 mark of the first half, 8-5, thanks to a three-pointer from senior Nick Parks, and would never trail in the game again. F&M rallied to tie the score at 21-21 midway through the first half, and later pulled even at 47-47 with 13:32 remaining in the second half, but the Captains did not allow the Diplomats to re-gain the lead. Christopher Newport grew the lead to as many as 14 in the final minute of the second half, before Franklin & Marshall cut the final verdict to eight.

Parks was the only other Captain to reach double digits with 14 points, and the Captains shot 55 percent from the field for the night (28 of 51). Christopher Newport also made nine of 17 shots from long range. The Captains out-rebounded the Diplomats, 35-22, with Gibbs and freshman Ian Anderson topping the squad with seven boards each. Justin Kupa led all scorers for F&M with 23 points, and Solomon Mathis of the Diplomats came off the bench to score 22.

The tournament was the first of four this season for the Captains, who will return to action on Friday hosting Randolph College in the Christopher Newport Classic at the Freeman Center. Tipoff time is set for 7:30 p.m. Mary Washington will play Lynchburg at 5:30 p.m. in the opening game of the classic...which will continue on Saturday when Mary Washington plays Randolph at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Captains vs. Lynchburg at 7:00 p.m.