Box Score
COLUMBUS, GA – Steve Peterson came off the Columbus State University bench to score 21 points, including the game's final five points, to lift the Cougars to a 70-67 Peach Belt Conference win over Francis Marion University, Sunday afternoon (Jan. 16) in men's basketball action.
Francis Marion falls to 9-5 overall and 3-4 in the Peach Belt with its second road loss in as many days. The Patriots will step out of conference play to host Johnson & Wales University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Freshman guard Evrik Gary led FMU with 14 points, while Dominique Coleman recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Senior Simel Boyd added 12 points and eight rebounds, while junior Liki Turner chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
Lamar Williams led CSU (6-7, 2-2) with 22 points, while Paul Darkwa added 16.
FMU scored the game's opening six points, but the Cougars answered with six straight of their own. The first half was tightly contested. CSU broke a 27-27 deadlock with a 6-2 spurt to end the half and carried a 33-29 advantage into the locker room.
An 8-0 run by CSU extended the Cougar lead to 60-48 following a three-pointer by Peterson with 9:37 remaining. Francis Marion then began a slow rally that ended when senior reserve guard Bryant Julious drained a three-pointer with 46 ticks remaining that put the Patriots ahead 67-65.
On the ensuing possession, Peterson responded with a three-pointer of his own to regain the lead for CSU at 68-67 with 36 seconds remaining. Following a pair of timeouts, Julious missed a shot and the Patriots grabbed the rebound but then turned the ball over.
Peterson scored on a layup with five seconds remaining to extend the lead to three points and Turner missed a potential game-tying three-pointer with one second left.
FMU outrebounded CSU 40-28, but the Cougars converted 17 FMU turnovers into 23 points.
1-16-11 3:30 PM at Columbus, GA (Lumpkin Center)
COLUMBUS STATE 70, FRANCIS MARION 67
FRANCIS MARION ( 9-5, 3-4 PBC)
Gary, Evrik 4-14 2-2 14; Coleman, Dominique 5-11 1-1 13; Turner, Liki 2-6
8-10 12; Boyd, Simel 5-6 2-4 12; Julious, Bryant 1-3 2-2 5; Greenfield,
Shawn 2-7 0-0 5; Smith, Andrew 2-4 0-0 4; Turner, David 1-4 0-0 2. Totals
22-55 15-19 67.
COLUMBUS STATE ( 6-7, 2-2 PBC)
Williams, Lamar 8-13 5-6 22; Peterson,Steve 8-15 0-0 21; Darkwa,Paul 5-11
6-10 16; McKnight,Darius 1-5 2-4 4; Ridley,Donta 1-2 1-2 3;
Steverson,Jarmarquis 1-2 0-0 2; Murphy,Jonathan 1-3 0-0 2; Thomas,Bryant 0-3
0-0 0; Joyner,Isaac 0-0 0-0 0; Zamudio,Blake 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-55 14-22 70.
Halftime: Columbus State 33 Francis Marion 29
3-point goals--Francis Marion 8-24 (Gary, Evrik 4-12; Coleman, Dominique
2-6; Greenfield, Shawn 1-2; Julious, Bryant 1-1; Turner, David 0-2; Turner,
Liki 0-1), Columbus State 6-14 (Peterson,Steve 5-7; Williams, Lamar 1-3;
Steverson,Jarmarquis 0-1; Thomas,Bryant 0-2; Zamudio,Blake 0-1). Fouled
out--Francis Marion-Smith, Andrew, Columbus State-Darkwa,Paul.
Rebounds--Francis Marion 40 (Smith, Andrew 8; Boyd, Simel 8), Columbus State
28 (Peterson,Steve 6). Assists--Francis Marion 12 (Gary, Evrik 3; Boyd,
Simel 3; Greenfield, Shawn 3), Columbus State 10 (Steverson,Jarmarquis 5).
Total fouls--Francis Marion 20, Columbus State 17. Technical fouls--None. A-683
