Columbus, GA - Columbus State used a 16-4 run midway through the second half on Sunday to pull away from Francis Marion and take a 77-61 Peach Belt Conference win at the Lumpkin Center. The win evens the CSU mark at 12-12 overall and gives the Cougars an 8-6 PBC mark.
Francis Marion used a 10-2 run in the second half to forge a 47-47 tie with 10:47 left. Trailing 45-37, the Patriots got consecutive three- pointers from Rodrick Burton and Sam Smith to start the run. Smith was fouled on his shot and completed the four-point play to make it 45-44. After two free-throws by CSU's Corris Portis, Smith completed a three-point play to knot the game at 47.
From there, CSU mounted a charge to re-take control. Led by senior guard Quay Holloway, the Cougars scored eight straight points. Holloway started the run with a four-point play, hitting a triple and then a free-throw. Maurice Arnold's free-throw with 8:52 left capped the 8-0 spurt. The run became a 16-4 surge as Holloway added two more treys and a layup. The layup gave the Cougars a 65-53 lead with 6:25 left. CSU would lead by as many as 19 points late before a Houston Power trey with 36 seconds left provided the final margin.
The Cougars led 33-32 at the break after going just 4-13 from long range and shooting 39 percent. CSU improved to 51 percent in the second half as Holloway got four three-pointers from Holloway. The senior finished with a career-high 35 points on 11-20 shooting and seven treys.
Corris Portis added 10 points and Miguel Morton nine points to go with nine rebounds. The Cougars were 17-21 at the free-throw line.
Smith's 15 points led FMU (8-13, 2-12) on the day. he also grabbed 10 rebounds to complete a double-double. Power added 12 points and Kevin Clark 10. The Patriots out-rebounded CSU 37-32, but shot just 34 percent in the second half and finished the game with 22 turnovers.
CSU, who ended a string of nine home games in its last 10 outings, returns to action in the first of four consecutive road games on Wednesday at North Georgia. FMU returns to Florence to host two of its next three outings, beginning Wednesday with UNC Pembroke.
2-10-08 5:00 PM at Columbus, GA...Lumpkin Center
COLUMBUS STATE 77, FRANCIS MARION 61
FRANCIS MARION (8-13, 2-12)
Smith, Sam 5-12 4-4 15; Power, Houston 4-7 1-2 12; Clark, Kevin 4-5 1-2 10;
Boyd, Simel 4-16 0-0 8; Burton, Rodrick 2-4 0-0 5; Morley, Nate 2-5 0-0 5;
Turner, David 1-4 2-2 4; Laney, Michael 1-5 0-0 2; Stiglbauer, Carter 0-0
0-0 0; Jones, Crayton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-60 8-10 61.
COLUMBUS STATE (12-12, 8-6)
Holloway, Quay 11-20 6-7 35; Portis, Corris 3-7 3-3 10; Morton, Miguel 4-9
1-2 9; Stewart, Javarus 3-7 1-2 7; Arnold, Maurice 2-2 2-3 6; Chester, Ryan
0-3 4-4 4; Matthews, Travis 2-5 0-0 4; Zinder, Rye 1-1 0-0 2; Tarver, Jeff
0-0 0-0 0; Guest, Shondre 0-1 0-0 0; Miller, Sean 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-57
17-21 77.
Halftime: Columbus State 33 Francis Marion 32.
3-point goals-Francis Marion 7-20 (Power, Houston 3-4; Morley, Nate 1-4;
Burton, Rodrick 1-1; Smith, Sam 1-4; Clark, Kevin 1-1; Laney, Michael 0-3;
Turner, David 0-2; Boyd, Simel 0-1), Columbus State 8-25 (Holloway, Quay
7-14; Portis, Corris 1-4; Stewart, Javarus 0-1; Matthews, Travis 0-3; Guest,
Shondre 0-1; Miller, Sean 0-1; Morton, Miguel 0-1). Fouled out--Francis
Marion-None, Columbus State-None. Rebounds-Francis Marion 37 (Smith, Sam
10), Columbus State 32 (Arnold, Maurice 9; Morton, Miguel 9).
Assists-Francis Marion 10 (Laney, Michael 2; Morley, Nate 2; Clark, Kevin 2;
Jones, Crayton 2), Columbus State 9 (Matthews, Travis 4). Total
fouls-Francis Marion 17, Columbus State 11. A-389
