FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior swingman Vony Rivers came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points as Francis Marion University cruised to an 82-54 win over Mars Hill College, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 26) in non-conference men's basketball action.

FMU improves to 3-2, and 3-0 at home, while Mars Hill drops to 4-2.

Rivers, a native of Burton, S.C., and a graduate of Battery Creek High School, poured in 19 of his points in the second half.  He finished the game 11 of 17 from the floor, including five-of-eight from three-point distance.  Junior center Raymond Dorsey added 16 points and eight rebounds, while senior forward Michael Carter had 10 points and a career-high nine rebounds.

Junior forward Marques Maxwell led Mars Hill with 23 points.  FMU held the Lions' leading scorer Walt Baxley to only four points.  Baxley entered the game averaging 28.4 points per contest, and recently surpassed 1,000 points for his career.

Francis Marion led 17-14 with 11 minutes remaining in the first half.  Rivers and Dorsey then scored two baskets each in a 10-2 Patriot run that gave FMU a 27-16 advantage.  The lead would grow to 16 points, and following an Artis Lee jumper with one tick left on the clock, the Patriots carried a 41-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Mars Hill cut the deficit to 13 points on two occasions in the final stanza, the last time at 52-39 with 14 minutes left.  However, Rivers contributed five points to a 7-1 Patriot spurt, and FMU was never threatened again.  The Patriots' largest lead came at 79-48 on hoop by Marchello Hamilton with 2:17 remaining.

Francis Marion held the Lions to 31.5 percent shooting, while holding a 49-33 rebounding advantage and a 40-16 margin in points in the paint.

Francis Marion will open Peach Belt Conference play on Wednesday night when the Patriots play host to USC Upstate at 7:30 p.m.  Mars Hill plays host to Lees-McRae College, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.

11-26-05 4:00 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
At Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 82, MARS HILL COLLEGE 54
 
MARS HILL COLLEGE (4-2)
Maxwell, Marques 8-17 3-4 23; Hamilton, Mark 1-2 3-4 5; Aline, Chris 2-8 0-0 5; Ayers, Joe 2-2 1-2 5; Hippolyte, James 1-2 2-2 4; Baxley, Walt 1-9 2-3 4; Blake, Tony 1-3 0-0 3; McDowell, Elliott 1-4 0-0 3; Miller, Andy 0-4 1-2 1; McIver, Jamison 0-0 1-2 1; Siniard, Cody 0-1 0-0 0; Matus, Christian 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-54 13-19 54.

FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (3-2)
Rivers, Vony 11-17 0-1 27; Dorsey, Raymond 8-12 0-0 16; Carter, Michael 4-7 1-2 10; Jenkins, Michael 3-10 0-0 8; Hamilton, Marchello 3-9 1-2 7; Lee, Artis 2-5 0-0 5; Burton, Rodrick 2-4 0-0 4; Walker, George 1-4 1-4 3; Lilliston, Courtney 1-3 0-2 2; Coakley, Akeene 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 35-74 3-11 82.

Halftime: Francis Marion 41 Mars Hill 26. 3-point goals-Mars Hill 7-26 (Maxwell 4-10; Blake 1-2; Aline 1-2; McDowell 1-3; Baxley 0-5; Miller 0-2; Matus 0-2), Francis Marion 9-26 (Rivers 5-8; Jenkins 2-8; Lee 1-2; Carter 1-3; Walker 0-2; Coakley 0-2; Burton 0-1). Fouled out--Hamilton. Rebounds-Mars Hill 33 (Ayers 4), Francis Marion 49 (Carter 9; Walker 9). Assists-Mars Hill 15 (Blake 6), Francis Marion 23 (Jenkins 8). Total fouls-Mars Hill 11, Francis Marion 16. A-172.