AIKEN, SC - Despite a career-high 20 points from junior forward Sam Smith, Francis Marion University saw its season end with a 68-53 loss to Lander University on Wednesday evening in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.

The eighth-seeded Patriots end the season at 12-16, while the ninth-seeded Bearcats (10-18) advance to face top-seeded USC Aiken in Friday's quarterfinal round.  FMU's frustration at the tournament continues as the Patriots are winless in their last eight games dating back to 1999.

Smith hit on 8-of-15 shots, but his teammates were a combined 10-of-37.  Forward Simel Boyd, who was honored prior to tip-off as the conference's Freshman of the Year, added nine points and six rebounds.  Houston Power also scored nine points.

Guard Zach Evans paced Lander with 17 points.

FMU misfired on 18 of its first 22 shots while falling behind 25-14.  Lander led by as many as 16 in the opening half before settling for a 35-21 halftime advantage.

The Patriots trailed 52-39 with 8:07 left before attempting to rally.  FMU, which rallied from 17 points down in each of its last two games to win, cut the margin to 57-51 on a running jumper by Power with 3:33 remaining.  However that would be Francis Marion's last made field goal.

Francis Marion ended the game shooting 34.6 percent, including 3-of-17 from three-point range.  The Patriots were also outrebounded 41-26.

"We picked a bad time to play a lousy game," said FMU head coach Gary Edwards.  "Lander was very physical and we didn't handle that well.  We were OK on defense, in fact we played well enough defensively to win, if our offense had not been anemic."

Asked about his team's second-half chances for a third straight big rally, he said "We never could get the big stop followed by the big bucket."

Four FMU seniors ended their collegiate careers on Wednesday: Rodrick Burton, Nate Morley, Larnelle Peterson, and Carter Stiglbauer.