FLORENCE, SC – Newcomers Liki Turner and Evrik Gary combined for 26 second-half points to spark a Francis Marion University rally as the Patriots claimed a season-opening 75-66 win over previously unbeaten Allen University, Tuesday evening (Nov. 16) in men's college basketball action.

Francis Marion (1-0) trailed 25-19 at halftime, but shot 53 percent from the floor in the second half to capture the come-from-behind victory before a partisan crowd of 1,147 in the newly renovated Smith University Center.  Allen, an NAIA member school, drops to 5-1.

Turner, a junior transfer, led FMU with 18 points, 14 of which came in the second half.  Gary, a redshirt freshman from Camden High School, scored 17 points, 12 of which came after intermission.

FMU senior 6-6 swingman Simel Boyd registered a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while 6-10 junior center Andrew Smith added 12 points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots.  Senior reserve point guard Bryant Julious also aided the second-half rally with seven points and four assists in 14 minutes of second-half action.

Senior guard Demetrice Terrell paced four Yellow Jackets in double figures with 12 points, while junior forward Chavis Darby chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.

Francis Marion connected on only three of its first 20 shots and trailed 22-15 with four minutes left in the opening stanza.

After shooting just 22 percent over the opening 20 minutes, the Patriots warmed up after halftime. A three-pointer by Gary gave FMU the lead for good at 34-33 only 5:17 into the second half, and it sparked a 14-3 run that produced a 45-36 Patriot advantage.

A layup by Brandon Farmer brought Allen to within 59-56 with 4:13 left, and with 3:15 remaining the Yellow Jackets trailed by only 62-58.  Two free throws by Julious started a 9-0 spurt – good for a 71-58 lead – that was capped by a dunk from Boyd off a Julious feed.

Francis Marion connected on 21-of-27 free throws, while Allen made only 16-of-24 at the stripe.

11-16-10 7 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 75, ALLEN UNIVERSITY 66

ALLEN UNIVERSITY (5-1)
Terrell, Demetrice 4-17 2-4 12; Crawford, Jeremy 4-6 3-5 11; Darby, Chavis
4-8 3-4 11; Gordon, Anthony 3-7 2-2 10; Weathers, Allen 3-7 1-3 7; Johnson,
Richard 1-3 2-2 5; Farmer, Brandon 1-7 3-4 5; Palmer, Jahrad 1-1 0-0 3;
Hatcher, Dominique 1-4 0-0 2; Riley, Alaundrias 0-0 0-0 0; Drakes, Octavious
0-0 0-0 0; Speights, Trevor 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 16-24 66.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (1-0)
Turner, Liki 5-7 8-9 18; Gary, Evrik 6-12 2-2 17; Boyd, Simel 4-14 4-6 12;
Smith, Andrew 4-6 4-6 12; Julious, Bryant 2-6 2-2 7; Greenfield, Shawn 2-8
0-0 6; Coleman, Dominique 1-6 1-2 3; Todd, Matt 0-0 0-0 0; Turner, David 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 24-59 21-27 75.
Halftime:  Allen 25  Francis Marion  19.
3-point goals--Allen University 6-25 (Gordon, Anthony 2-5; Terrell,
Demetrice 2-12; Johnson, Richard 1-3; Palmer, Jahrad 1-1; Farmer, Brandon
0-3; Weathers, Allen 0-1), Francis Marion University 6-23 (Gary, Evrik 3-8;
Greenfield, Shawn 2-7; Julious, Bryant 1-2; Coleman, Dominique 0-3; Boyd,
Simel 0-3). Fouled out--Allen University-Crawford, Jeremy, Francis Marion
University-None. Rebounds--Allen University 35 (Darby, Chavis 7; Gordon,
Anthony 7), Francis Marion University 43 (Boyd, Simel 12). Assists--Allen
University 10 (Gordon, Anthony 4), Francis Marion University 14 (Julious,
Bryant 4). Total fouls--Allen 25, Francis Marion 19.
Technical fouls--Gary. A-1147

         Liki Turner