PEMBROKE, NC – Junior guard Andrew Morris scored a game-high 21 points, all in the second half, to rally Coker College to a 67-59 season-opening win over Francis Marion University, Friday evening  (Nov. 11) in the nightcap of the UNC Pembroke Holiday men's basketball classic.

Francis Marion (0-1) will face St. Andrews University on Saturday at 6 p.m. as the classic concludes.  Host UNCP defeated the Knights 98-76 in Friday's first contest.

Sophomore guard Evrik Gary and junior forward Zamarius McLendon each tallied 17 points to lead FMU, which played without the services of pre-season All-Conference pick Liki Turner, who did not dress for the contest.  McLendon also hauled down a game-high 16 rebounds.

Both teams struggled in the opening half to find their shooting range as the Patriots and Cobras each shot 8-of-27 (29.6%) over the first 20 minutes.  Trailing 14-11, Gary sparked a 9-0 run with five points as Francis Marion took a 20-14 advantage. 

Coker closed to within 20-19, but a pair of free throws from Marcus Wright and a top-of-the-key three-pointer by Darryn Frazier pushed the Patriot lead to 25-19.  The halftime margin was 25-21.

Coker took the lead for good with a 10-2 spurt that broke a 41-41 deadlock.  Francis Marion closed to within 59-53 on two free throws by Gary with 3:34 remaining.  Morris responded with a three-pointer and later two free throws to up the Cobra margin to 11 points at 64-53.

The second half featured 43 combined free throw attempts as both squads were in the bonus with nearly 13 minutes remaining.

Francis Marion finished the game shooting 27.6 percent from the floor, including 3-of-20 from three-point range.  The Patriots outrebounded Coker 45-34, but Coker's shooting warmed over the final 20 minutes as the Cobras shot 61.9 percent.

COKER 67, FRANCIS MARION 59

FRANCIS MARION (0-1)
Zamarius McLendon 5-9 7-9 17; Evrik Gary 3-12 9-9 17; Darryn Frazier 2-9 1-1
6; Marcel Williams 2-5 1-3 5; Marcus Wright 1-8 3-4 5; Andrew Smith 2-6 0-0
4; Clayton Williams 0-1 3-4 3; Derek Hosey 1-2 0-0 2; Lorenzo Williams 0-4
0-0 0; Sam Caron 0-1 0-0 0; Maurice Grant 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 16-58 24-32 59.
COKER (1-0)
Andrew Morris 5-8 6-6 21; Bryce Arnott 3-4 2-5 9; Austin Harper 4-10 1-2 9;
Eren Moses 3-6 2-2 8; Julian Nelson 1-5 3-3 6; Sharod Williams 2-5 1-2 5;
Avery Harris 2-2 0-0 4; Charles West 0-4 3-6 3; Ethan Gort 1-1 0-0 2;
Jonathon Gardner 0-2 0-0 0; David Short 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-48 18-26 67.

Halftime: Francis Marion 25 Coker 21
3-point goals--Francis Marion 3-20 (Evrik Gary 2-7; Darryn Frazier 1-7;
Marcus Wright 0-3; Clayton Williams 0-1; Derek Hosey 0-1; Maurice Grant
0-1), Coker 7-17 (Andrew Morris 5-8; Julian Nelson 1-2; Bryce Arnott 1-2;
Charles West 0-2; Jonathon Gardner 0-2; David Short 0-1). Fouled
out--Francis Marion-Andrew Smith, Coker-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 45
(Zamarius McLendon 16), Coker 34 (Sharod Williams 6; Eren Moses 6).
Assists--Francis Marion 11 (Marcus Wright 3; Derek Hosey 3), Coker 17 (Bryce
Arnott 8). Total fouls--Francis Marion 25, Coker 28. Technical fouls--None. A-125