FLORENCE, S.C. – Juniors Kevin Clark, Houston Power, and Sam Smith scored 14 points apiece to lead Francis Marion University to a 93-70 non-conference win over The Apprentice School, Monday night (Nov. 19) in men’s college basketball action.

FMU (3-0) had five players scored in double figures and 11 players in all scratched in the scoring column.  Senior guard Nate Morley came off the Patriot bench to tally 13 points and Ziyadah Carter added 12.  Clark also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Sophomore swingman Jason Arrington led The Apprentice School (1-2) with 22 points and six steals.  He converted 13 of 14 free throw attempts.  Fred Spratley and Eric Joe each chipped in 10 points.

Francis Marion took the lead for good at 9-7 on a bucket by Clark with 13:23 left in the opening stanza.  The Patriots connected on 58.1 percent of their field goal attempts in the opening half and led 47-32 at intermission.

The Builders trimmed the margin to eight points on three occasions in the second half, the final time at 56-48 on a pair of Arrington free throws with 16:12 remaining.  However, FMU answered with a 16-4 run that produced a 72-52 advantage.  Smith contributed eight points to the spurt, including the first five.

A fast-break dunk by freshman David Turner with three ticks left produced the final 23-point margin, the largest of the contest.

The contest featured a combined 52 turnovers, 50 fouls, and 69 free throw attempts.  FMU outrebounded the Builders 44-31 and held them to 35 percent shooting for the game.

Francis Marion will play host to Newberry College on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., while The Apprentice School will host Methodist University, Saturday at 2 p.m.

11-19-07 7:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 93, THE APPRENTICE SCHOOL 70

THE APPRENTICE SCHOOL (1-2)
Jason Arrington 4-14 13-14 22; Eric Joe 4-5 2-3 10; Fred Spratley 4-9 2-2
10; Antione Paige 3-10 1-2 9; Eric Ruffin 3-8 1-3 7; Stanford Johnson 3-10
0-0 6; Warren Cherry 0-1 4-4 4; Thomas Scott 0-0 2-2 2; Ryan Davis 0-0 0-0
0; Nolan Thompson 0-3 0-0 0; Norman Washington 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-60 25-30
70.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (3-0)
Clark, Kevin 4-7 6-8 14; Power, Houston 5-8 3-4 14; Smith, Sam 2-9 9-12 14;
Morley, Nate 4-6 2-4 13; Carter, Ziyadah 5-12 2-4 12; Burton, Rodrick 3-7
0-1 7; Turner, David 2-4 2-2 6; Baker, Cortne' 2-3 0-2 5; Jones, Crayton 2-4
0-2 4; Laney, Michael 1-1 0-0 2; Stiglbauer, Carter 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 31-62
24-39 93.
Halftime: Francis Marion 47  The Apprentice School 32.
3-point goals-The Apprentice School 3-14 (Antione Paige 2-5; Jason Arrington
1-4; Fred Spratley 0-2; Eric Ruffin 0-2; Nolan Thompson 0-1), Francis Marion
University 7-19 (Morley, Nate 3-5; Baker, Cortne' 1-2; Smith, Sam 1-2;
Burton, Rodrick 1-1; Power, Houston 1-3; Carter, Ziyadah 0-3; Clark, Kevin
0-3). Fouled out--The Apprentice School-Eric Ruffin; Norman Washington,
Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds-The Apprentice School 31 (Stanford
Johnson 8), Francis Marion University 44 (Clark, Kevin 10). Assists-The
Apprentice School 12 (Eric Ruffin 4), Francis Marion University 21 (Morley,
Nate 4; Jones, Crayton 4). Total fouls-The Apprentice School 28, Francis
Marion University 22.  Apprentice coach Bill Tose ejected (double technical)