The Francis Marion University men’s and women’s basketball teams will host a pair of Peach Belt Conference doubleheaders this weekend. The Patriots will entertain Georgia Southwestern State University on Saturday (Jan. 5) and Columbus State University on Sunday (Jan. 6).

Both twinbills will open with the women’s game at 2 p.m., followed by the men’s contest at 4 p.m. Saturday is Girl Scout Day at FMU with all eastern South Carolina area Girl Scouts and their leaders being admitted free. Sunday’s doubleheader, sponsored by Efird Dodge, will be Focused 50 Camp Day. Regular admission on both days will be $3 for adults and $2 for students.

All four games can be heard on the internet at www.fmarion.edu/sports/ with Allen Smothers handling the play-by-play, and Sunday’s doubleheader will also be broadcast on WWFN-FM 100.1 The Fan.

At 7-1 overall (0-1 in the PBC), the Patriot woman are off to their best start in 10 seasons. FMU leads the nation in scoring offense (96.8 points per game) and steals per game (21.6 per contest). Three players are scoring in doubles figures: senior guard Brittany Young (13.5 ppg), sophomore forward Yasmean Dixon (12.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg), and freshman forward Shannon Singleton-Bates (10.3 ppg). 

The Francis Marion men (6-2, 0-1) are off to their best start since the Sweet 16 season of 2003-04. A balanced attack has four players scoring in double digits: junior guard Houston Power (12.5 ppg), junior swingman Ziyadah Carter (12.4 ppg), and junior post players Sam Smith (11.0 ppg) and Kevin Clark (10.1 ppg). As a team, FMU has made 23 consecutive free throws with a school-record two straight perfect games (11 of 11 and 12 of 12).

With 498 all-time wins, the Francis Marion men’s program has an opportunity to reach the 500-victory mark this weekend. The Patriots’ first win came on Dec. 7, 1970 against the UNC Wilmington freshmen squad.

The Georgia Southwestern women (1-8, 0-2) have lost eight games in a row since winning their season-opener. The GSW men, mired in a four-game slide, are 4-5 overall and 1-1 in the Peach Belt. FMU leads the all-time women’s series 3-0, with two of the wins coming during the Patriots’ 1986 NAIA national championship run.   GSW has won both previous meetings on the men’s side, but this will be the Hurricanes first-ever visit to Florence.

Efird Dodge is located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and U.S. Highway 52 (exit 164) at 1711 West Lucas Street in Florence. First Federal will be the ball sponsor for Sunday’s women’s game.

The Focused 50 Camp, founded and directed by FMU women’s head coach Heather Macy, is a unique one of a kind basketball camp that stresses 50 concepts and ideas to elevate yourself to the highest level that you individually are capable of achieving.