PEMBROKE, NC - Francis Marion  University scored the game's final 10 points in overtime to erase a six-point deficit and beat local-rival Coker College 72-68, Friday evening (Nov. 20) in the opening game of the UNC Pembroke Classic.

Francis Marion improves to 4-0 for the second straight year and ups its all-time series lead over the Cobras to 42-11, including three straight wins.

Junior 6-8 forward Robert Faulkner led the Patriots with 16 points, five rebounds, and three blocked shots before fouling out.  Forward Andrew Smith added 12 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Herman Mains added 11 points, including the go-ahead basket in the final minute.

Mason Ambler led Coker (1-1) with 21 points and nine rebounds before he also fouled out.  Guard Vatrick Thompson chipped in 15 points.

Thompson hit a pair of three-pointers to open the extra session and stake the Cobras to a 66-60 lead.  The two teams traded baskets leaving FMU facing a 68-62 deficit with just 2:21 left.  Francis Marion then went on its 10-0 run with Mains scoring the go-ahead hoop on a layup with 25 seconds left and Kendrick Robinson sealing the win with two free throws with one tick remaining.

Francis Marion led by as many as six in the first half before claiming a 32-28 advantage at halftime.  The Patriots were up 38-32 when Coker responded with a 9-0 spurt to reclaim the lead.  The Cobras clung to a 59-54 margin with 1:42 left in regulation, but a 6-1 run by FMU forced the overtime period.  Mains hit a three-pointer during that rally and Robinson tied the game on two free throws with 26 seconds left in regulation.

Francis Marion will play St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Saturday at 3 p.m. on the second day of the UNCP Classic.

11-20-09 6 pm at Pembroke, NC - English E. Jones Center
FRANCIS MARION 72, COKER COLLEGE 68
FRANCIS MARION (4-0)
Faulkner, Robert 7-14 2-5 16; Smith, Andrew 5-7 2-3 12; Mains, Herman 4-12
2-5 11; Robinson, Kendrick 2-6 4-4 8; Boyd, Simel 3-6 1-2 8; Turner, David
2-3 3-4 7; Anderson, Kaylan 2-7 2-3 6; Julious, Bryant 0-6 2-2 2; Petreikis,
 Mindaugas0-1 1-2 1; Gullatte, Edward 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 25-63 20-32 72.
COKER COLLEGE (1-1)
AMBLER, Mason 5-17 11-13 21; THOMPSON, Vatrick 5-8 3-4 15; DOLES, Delonte
3-6 3-4 9; WRIGHT, Thomas 3-7 1-2 9; BRACY, Joselle 2-4 3-4 7; BAILEY, Derek
1-4 1-2 3; SANDERS, Brandon 1-1 0-0 2; SMITH, Ricardo 0-2 2-2 2; AIJIAN,
Ryan 0-0 0-0 0; SHORT, David 0-0 0-0 0; HARPER, Austin 0-0 0-0 0; KYLE, Liam
0-1 0-0 0; GORE, Michael 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 24-31 68.
Halftime:  Francis Marion 32 Coker 28
3-point goals--Francis Marion 2-15 (Mains, Herman 1-3; Boyd, Simel 1-2;
Robinson, Kendrick 0-3; Anderson, Kaylan 0-2; Julious, Bryant 0-2; Gullatte,
Edward 0-1; Faulkner, Robert 0-2), Coker College 4-11 (WRIGHT, Thomas 2-5;
THOMPSON, Vatrick 2-4; BAILEY, Derek 0-1; DOLES, Delonte 0-1). Fouled
out--Francis Marion-Boyd, Simel; Faulkner, Robert, Coker College-AMBLER,
Mason; DOLES, Delonte. Rebounds--Francis Marion 41 (Boyd, Simel 9), Coker
College 42 (AMBLER, Mason 9). Assists--Francis Marion 6 (Julious, Bryant 2),
Coker College 12 (DOLES, Delonte 3). Total fouls--Francis Marion 26, Coker
College 25. Technical fouls--Francis Marion-Faulkner, Robert, Coker
College-None. A-262