Francis Marion (9-13, 3-12) snaps a nine-game losing skid and sweeps the season series from the Braves. UNCP (7-15, 2-13) has now lost four straight games.

Laney came off the Patriot bench to hit five three-pointers as FMU drained a season-high team total of 11 three-pointers (in 22 attempts).  Junior guard Houston Power and freshman forward Simel Boyd each scored 12 points, with Boyd grabbing a team-high six rebounds and Power handing out a season-high nine assists.

Center Jonathan Hart paced UNCP with 16 points, on 8-of-14 shooting, while Demarcus Lyday added 14 points and Cortez Brown 12.

UNCP jumped to a 19-9 lead with eight minutes left in the first half as FMU missed nine of its opening 13 shots.  However, Laney then ignited the Patriot attack with a three-pointer as Francis Marion outscored UNCP 27-3 over the remainder of the stanza to lead 36-22 at intermission.  In contrast to the opening 12 minutes, FMU shot 10-of-13 from the floor during its spurt.

Only once in the second half did the Braves get the margin under double figures, when Hart scored on a two-handed dunk with 17 minutes left, drawing the Braves to within 38-29.  Both Laney and Boyd then answered with three-pointers to up the margin to 44-31.

Francis Marion’s largest lead came at 59-41 following a three-point play by Kevin Clark with 5:09 remaining.

The Patriots won despite only making 3-of-5 free throw attempts.  UNCP entered the game second-to-last in NCAA Division II in scoring offense at 57.4 points per game.

Francis Marion is off this weekend, but will return to action on Monday when the Patriots host Lander University at 7:30 p.m.  UNCP plays host to North Georgia College & State University on Saturday at 4 p.m.