Cold-Shooting Patriots Fall at USC Upstate 62-40
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Forward Ivica Grgurovic scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds and USC Upstate took advantage of a cold-shooting Francis Marion University squad to claim a 62-40 win, Wednesday evening (Jan. 25) in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.
Following Grgurovic for USC Upstate (12-4, 7-3) was reserve Daniel Quinlan with 12 points and forward Erikas Kaupaitis with 11 points and six rebounds.
Senior swingman George Walker with 13 points was the lone Patriot to reach double figures. Sophomore forward Rodrick Burton grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in his second start, but was only one-of-eight from the floor for two points. Francis Marion (7-10, 2-8) has now lost five straight and seven of eight.
FMU managed only 29.4 percent shooting from the floor, including a six-of-26 showing from beyond the three-point arc. The Patriots were only four-of-six from the free throw line.
A three-pointer by FMU senior Michael Jenkins gave the Patriots a 10-9 advantage with 12:22 left in the opening half. Consecutive layups by Grgurovic and Kaupaitis put the Spartans ahead to stay at 13-10. The margin would grow to as many as 13 points, before USC Upstate settled for a 31-19 advantage at intermission.
The lead quickly ballooned to 23 points in the second stanza at 46-23 on a three-pointer by Zac Rich with 13:54 left. The Patriots would get no closer then 16 points after that point.
FMU committed 24 turnovers, while USC Upstate outscored the Patriots 28-10 in the paint.
Francis Marion will return home to entertain Lander University, Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
1-25-06 7:30 p.m. at Spartanburg, SC
USC UPSTATE 62, FRANCIS MARION 40
FRANCIS MARION (7-10, 2-8)
Walker, George 4-10 4-6 13; Jenkins, Michael 2-6 0-0 5; Rivers, Vony 2-6 0-0
5; Lee, Artis 2-7 0-0 5; Coakley, Akeene 1-2 0-0 3; Braxton, Paul 1-1 0-0 3;
Burton, Rodrick 1-8 0-0 2; Carter, Michael 1-3 0-0 2; Ashford, Kevin 1-1 0-0
2; Charles, Reinaldo 0-0 0-0 0; Dorsey, Raymond 0-0 0-0 0; Peterson,
Larnelle 0-3 0-0 0; Hamilton, Marchello 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 15-51 4-6 40.
USC UPSTATE (12-4, 7-3)
Grgurovic, Ivica 8-12 2-5 18; Quinlan, Daniel 3-7 4-4 12; Kaupaitis, Erikas
5-6 1-2 11; Payne, Luke 2-9 0-0 5; Eppinger, Preston 2-3 1-2 5; Pikunic,
Ante 2-3 0-0 4; Rich, Zac 1-4 0-0 3; Free, Jay 1-9 0-1 2; Byrd, Jeremy 1-3
0-0 2; Wartenberger, Marc 0-0 0-0 0; Berryhill, Trevor 0-3 0-0 0. Totals
25-59 8-14 62.
Halftime-USC Upstate 31 Francis Marion 19.
3-point goals-Francis Marion 6-26 (Jenkins, Michael 1-4; Braxton, Paul 1-1;
Walker, George 1-4; Coakley, Akeene 1-2; Lee, Artis 1-5; Rivers, Vony 1-5;
Peterson, Larnelle 0-1; Hamilton, Marchello 0-1; Carter, Michael 0-1;
Burton, Rodrick 0-2), USC Upstate 4-24 (Quinlan, Daniel 2-6; Payne, Luke
1-5; Rich, Zac 1-3; Free, Jay 0-5; Byrd, Jeremy 0-1; Berryhill, Trevor 0-2;
Grgurovic, Ivica 0-2). Fouled out--Francis Marion-Lee, Artis, USC
Upstate-None. Rebounds-Francis Marion 41 (Burton, Rodrick 13), USC Upstate
36 (Grgurovic, Ivica 8). Assists-Francis Marion 13 (Jenkins, Michael 5), USC
Upstate 19 (Byrd, Jeremy 9). Total fouls-Francis Marion 17, USC Upstate 6.
A-812
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