FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior guard Elton Coffield scored a game-high 23 points, including hitting 6-of-7 three-point attempts, and Mount Olive College pulled away in the second half to claim an 89-74 victory over Francis Marion University, Tuesday evening (Dec. 5) in non-conference men’s basketball action.
The Trojans improved to 5-2 while hitting 13-of-22 three-point attempts, including an amazing 10-of-17 in the opening half. Guard Kendrick Easley tallied 17 points and eight rebounds, while forward Brandon Streeter added 13 points.
Senior forward Raymond Dorsey paced Francis Marion (3-4) with 20 points, one shy of his career high, while also collecting a career-high equaling 12 rebounds. Freshman point guard Cortne’ Baker scored a career-high 16 points and handed out five assists in his second career start, while junior forward Rodrick Burton chipped in 13 points.
Despite the impressive first-half shooting performance by Mount Olive, FMU stayed close and left the floor at halftime trailing only 49-43. The Trojans had led by as many as 14 points (40-26), following two Streeter free throws with 5:41 left in the stanza.
Mount Olive opened the second half with a 15-4 run as Francis Marion missed seven of its first eight shot attempts and committed four turnovers. The margin remained at 17 (75-58) after a dunk by Lydell Walker with 6:22 left, but the Patriots managed to trim the lead to 77-65 with 4:50 on the clock following a basket by Burton.
However, FMU was unable to get the deficit under double figures prior to the final horn sounding.
The Trojan bench outscored FMU 43-9, and while Mount Olive remained hot in the second half (shooting 57.1 percent), Francis Marion cooled off to 32.3 percent.
Francis Marion now takes a break for exams. The Patriots return to action Dec. 15-16 in Savannah, Ga., at the Chatham Orthopaedics Holiday Classic. Mount Olive next plays Dec. 29-30 in the UNC Pembroke Classic.
12-5-06 7:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
MOUNT OLIVE COLLEGE 89, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 74
MOUNT OLIVE COLLEGE (5-2)
Coffield, Elton 7-8 3-4 23; Easley, Kendrick 6-13 0-0 17; Streeter, Brandon
4-6 5-8 13; Rouse, Elijah 3-4 3-8 9; Walker, Lydell 4-6 0-0 8; Melton,
Justin 3-8 0-0 6; Holloman, Mike 2-9 1-2 6; Dziugelis, Paulius 1-1 0-0 3;
Jones, Montel 0-1 2-2 2; Holloway, Chris 1-2 0-0 2; Brown, Josh 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 31-58 14-24 89.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (3-4)
Dorsey, Raymond 8-14 4-6 20; Baker, Cortne' 6-16 2-4 16; Burton, Rodrick
5-14 1-2 13; Ashford, Kevin 4-8 0-0 8; Morley, Nate 3-6 0-0 8; Borojevich,
Greg 1-2 4-6 6; Peterson, Larnelle 1-2 0-0 3; Lee, Artis 0-3 0-0 0; Collins,
Charles 0-0 0-0 0; Hall, Daniel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 11-18 74.
Halftime: Mount Olive 49 Francis Marion 43.
3-point goals-Mount Olive College 13-22 (Coffield, Elton 6-7; Easley,
Kendrick 5-7; Holloman, Mike 1-3; Dziugelis, Paulius 1-1; Melton, Justin
0-3; Jones, Montel 0-1), Francis Marion University 7-20 (Burton, Rodrick
2-7; Morley, Nate 2-5; Baker, Cortne' 2-6; Peterson, Larnelle 1-1; Lee,
Artis 0-1). Fouled out--Mount Olive College-None, Francis Marion
University-Peterson, Larnelle. Rebounds-Mount Olive College 42 (Rouse,
Elijah 8; Easley, Kendrick 8), Francis Marion University 31 (Dorsey, Raymond
12). Assists-Mount Olive College 19 (Melton, Justin 8), Francis Marion
University 15 (Morley, Nate 6). Total fouls-Mount Olive College 16, Francis
Marion University 19. A-364
