AUGUSTA, GA. – Augusta State University scored the game's final 12 points to claim a 69-56 Peach Belt Conference victory over Francis Marion University, Wednesday evening (Feb. 22) in men's action.
Senior George Walker paced Francis Marion (11-15, 6-13) with 18 points, while senior guard Vony Rivers added 11 points.
Forward Dean Brebner led four ASU (15-11, 11-8) players in double figures with 14 points.
Despite allowing Augusta State to hit 11-of-20 field goal attempts in the opening half, Francis Marion held a 30-27 advantage at intermission.
The Patriot lead would expand to 40-29 four minutes into the second stanza when senior Michael Carter hit a three-pointer.
ASU scored the game’s next 11 points to knot the score at 40-40 with 12:19 left. A stick-back by FMU reserve guard Larnelle Peterson gave Francis Marion a 51-47 lead with 7:12 remaining in the contest. FMU’s final lead came at 53-52 when Walker drained two free throws with 5:04 on the clock. ASU then took the lead for good with a 5-0 spurt.
A free throw by Carter brought the Patriots to within 57-56 with 2:34 left, but FMU would not score again. Francis Marion missed its final four shots, all three-point attempts, while committing one turnover.
FMU shot only 31.5 percent from the floor for the game, including 6-of-28 from behind the three-point arc. The Patriots committed a season-low six turnovers, but Francis Marion was outrebounded by a whopping 45-22 margin.
In Monday’s night win at UNC Pembroke, the Patriots did not score a field goal in the game’s final 6:50.
The FMU men will play their final regular-season game on Saturday afternoon when the Patriots entertain Clayton State University at 4 p.m. on Homecoming 2006 and Senior Day.
2-22-06 7:30 p.m. at Augusta, Ga. (Christenberry Fieldhouse)
AUGUSTA STATE 69, FRANCIS MARION 56
FRANCIS MARION (11-15, 6-13 PBC)
Walker, George 5-15 6-6 18; Rivers, Vony 4-14 1-3 11; Carter, Michael 2-9
3-4 9; Coakley, Akeene 2-3 2-2 6; Charles, Reinaldo 0-2 4-4 4; Peterson,
Larnelle 2-2 0-0 4; Jenkins, Michael 1-6 0-0 2; Dorsey, Raymond 1-1 0-0 2;
Braxton, Paul 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-54 16-19 56.
AUGUSTA STATE (15-11, 11-8 PBC)
Brebner, Dean 5-6 4-6 14; Scott, Matt 4-8 0-1 12; Bowman, Tyrekus 4-9 3-5
11; Mills, Jason 3-6 3-6 11; Telfer, Karim 0-2 7-7 7; Siler, Garret 3-4 1-1
7; Diamond, Larry 1-2 1-4 4; Tambon, Luke 1-1 0-0 2; Howard, Demetrius 0-4
1-2 1; Thomas, Arthur 0-0 0-0 0; Quarles, Jamie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-42
20-32 69.
Halftime-Francis Marion 30 Augusta State 27
3-point goals-Francis Marion 6-28 (Rivers 2-8; Carter 2-6; Walker 2-6; Jenkins
0-4; Braxton 0-1; Charles 0-2; Coakley 0-1), Augusta State 7-18 (Scott 4-7; Mills
2-4; Diamond 1-1; Howard 0-4; Telfer 0-2). Fouled out--Dorsey, Jenkins.
Rebounds-Francis Marion 22 (Walker 4; Carter 4; Rivers 4), Augusta State 45
(Bowman 13). Assists-Francis Marion 6 (Jenkins 2; Coakley 2), Augusta State 18
(Telfer 9). Total fouls-Francis Marion 22, Augusta State 17. A-812
