GREENWOOD, S.C. – Senior Michael Carter scored a career-high 16 points and junior center Raymond Dorsey added 15, while Francis Marion University used a late 22-10 run to defeat Lander University 69-66, Saturday (Dec. 3) in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.

The Patriots upped their overall record to 4-3 and Peach Belt mark to 1-1. Lander dropped to 1-6 and 0-2.

Carter, who entered this season having scored only 17 points over the past two seasons, has scored in double figures three of the last six contests.  He drained four of six from three-point range, nearly equaling his career total of six treys.

Dorsey, who had started his first 33 games as a Patriot, was relegated to the bench after Thursday's two-point performance against USC Upstate.  However, he responded on Saturday connecting on all six of his field goal attempts and handing out three assists in 23 minutes of action.

Patriot senior swingman George Walker added 14 points.

Scotty Smith and Jahi Rawlings led Lander with 14 points apiece, while Jarred Jackson added 10 points. The Bearcats had a good shooting day from three-point range, making 11-of-29 attempts.

After leading 34-28 at intermission, the Bearcats managed to extend a 41-39 lead to 53-47 midway through the second half on two three-pointers by Rawlings, and one apiece by Emanuel Hodrea and Jason Davis.  FMU's Michael Jenkins then started the deciding run with a jumper at the 8:20 mark.

FMU's Vony Rivers, who in his first start of the season tallied only five points or 10 points below his season average, hit a three-pointer to pull Francis Marion to within 55-54.  Dorsey's offensive rebound and basket tied the game at 56-56 with 5:17 to go.

Jenkins drained a three-pointer to give the Patriots the lead for good at 59-56 with 5:01 left. A three-pointer by Lander's Michael Griffin pulled Lander to within 63-61 with 3:03 to go, but Patriot freshman Akeene Coakley made his first two free throws of the season for a 65-61 Francis Marion lead at 1:39. Rawlings scored inside to cut the lead to 65-63 with 1:15 to go, but Dorsey and Walker made two free throws apiece to extend the lead to 69-63.  Brooks made a 3-pointer with five seconds left for the final margin.

Lander got off to a good start, getting two three-pointers from Brooks and one by Rawlings to take a 20-12 lead midway through the first half. The Bearcats made 12-of-25 shots from the floor en route to the 34-28 halftime lead. Francis Marion heated up after a slow start, hitting 10-of-28 shots in the opening 20 minutes, including Dorsey's four-for-four effort.

For the game, Lander made 23-of-51 shots from the floor (45 percent) and 9-of-13 from the free-throw line (69 percent). The Patriots hit 22-of-53 shots (42 percent), 18-of-24 from the line (75 percent), and 7-of-23 from behind the arc (30 percent).

FMU will play host to Wingate University, Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Patriots' final home appearance before the New Year.
 
12/03/05 4:00 at Horne Arena, Greenwood, SC
At Horne Arena, Greenwood, SC
FRANCIS MARION 69, LANDER UNIVERSITY 66

FRANCIS MARION (4-3, 1-1 PBC)
Carter, Michael 5-9 2-2 16; Dorsey, Raymond 6-6 3-7 15; Walker, George 4-12 6-6 14; Jenkins, Michael 3-11 2-3 9; Coakley, Akeene 1-3 4-4 6; Rivers, Vony 2-9 0-0 5; Peterson, Larnelle 1-2 0-0 3; Hamilton, Marchello 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 22-53 18-24 69.

LANDER UNIVERSITY (1-6, 0-2 PBC)
Rawlings, Jahi 5-11 0-0 14; Smith, Scottie 5-8 3-6 14; Jackson, Jarred 2-6 6-7 10; Brooks, Derek 3-6 0-0 9; Griffin, Michael 2-5 0-0 5; Jelenic, Zoran 2-3 0-0 4; Hodrea, Emanuel 1-2 0-0 3; Davis, Jason 1-3 0-0 3; McEachern, Joe 1-3 0-0 2; Greene, J.T. 1-4 0-0 2; Price, Arthur 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-51 9-13 66.

Halftime--Lander 34 Francis Marion 28. 3-point goals-Francis Marion 7-23 (Carter, Michael 4-6; Peterson, Larnelle 1-2; Rivers, Vony 1-4; Jenkins, Michael 1-8; Walker, George 0-3), Lander University 11-29 (Rawlings, Jahi 4-7; Brooks, Derek 3-6; Griffin, Michael 1-2; Davis, Jason 1-2; Smith, Scottie 1-2; Hodrea, Emanuel 1-2; Greene, J.T. 0-3; McEachern, Joe 0-1; Jelenic, Zoran 0-1; Jackson, Jarred 0-3). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, Lander University-None. Rebounds-Francis Marion 32 (Carter, Michael 8), Lander University 34 (Smith, Scottie 7). Assists-Francis Marion 15 (Jenkins, Michael 5; Walker, George 5), Lander University 17 (Rawlings, Jahi 4). Total fouls-Francis Marion 12, Lander University 18. A-327