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COLUMBUS, GA- Francis Marion University enjoyed an advantage in nearly every statistical category on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 29), but Columbus State University made the most of a big afternoon at the free throw line to rally for a 68-65 Peach Belt Conference victory over the Patriots.

FMU drops to 12-8 overall and 6-5 in the PBC, while seeing both its three-game winning streak and four-game Peach Belt road winning streak snapped.  The Patriots return to action on Thursday when they entertain local PBC rival UNC Pembroke in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Francis Marion shot better from the floor, made one more three-pointer than the Cougars, and committed fewer turnovers, but CSU connected on 28-of-35 foul shots compared to FMU's 10-of-16.  The Cougars were 21-of-28 in the second half alone.

Senior forward Liki Turner paced FMU with 15 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Evrik Gary added 14 points, junior forward Zamarius McLendon 10, and senior point guard Marcus Wright 10.

Guard Steve Peterson led CSU (11-8, 6-4) with 21 points and eight rebounds.

The contest featured 12 lead changes and six ties. 

Francis Marion led for the majority of a tight first stanza.  The Patriots managed to open a six-point margin at 21-15 following a three-pointer by Gary with 8:37 left, but the Cougars trimmed that lead to one, 30-29, at halftime.

After Wright opened the second half with a jumper for FMU, Columbus State used an 11-1 run over the next five minutes to grab a 40-33 advantage. The Patriots regained the lead at 54-53 on a free throw by Marcel Williams, and moments later a bucket by Wright gave FMU a 56-55 lead.  CSU then connected on a trio of three-pointers over the next few minutes to take a 64-58 lead with 2:28 left on the clock.

Francis Marion rallied to within 65-63 on an offensive rebound and follow-up basket by Wright with 14 seconds left. He was also fouled on the play, but his free throw was no good and CSU's Idell Bell narrowly grabbed the rebound.  Bell then sealed the Cougar win with a pair of free throws at the other end.

1-29-12 3:30 PM at Columbus, GA...Lumpkin Center
COLUMBUS STATE 68, FRANCIS MARION 65

FRANCIS MARION (12-8, 6-5 PBC)
Liki Turner 5-11 4-4 15; Evrik Gary 5-13 0-0 14; Marcus Wright 4-11 2-3 10;
Zamarius McLendon 4-10 2-4 10; Darryn Frazier 3-10 0-0 8; Andrew Smith 3-6
1-3 7; Marcel Williams 0-2 1-2 1; Derek Hosey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 10-16
65.
COLUMBUS STATE (11-8, 6-4 PBC)
Steve Peterson 6-15 7-7 21; Jarmarquis Steverson 3-10 4-4 12; Paul Darkwa
3-6 5-6 11; Darius Mcknight 3-4 4-6 10; Idell Bell 1-7 5-8 8; Winford Ivey
1-6 2-2 5; Johnathan Murphy 0-3 1-2 1; Dimitri Davis 0-1 0-0 0; AJ Shepherd
0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-52 28-35 68.
Halftime: Francis Marion 30 Columbus State 29
3-point goals--Francis Marion 7-31 (Evrik Gary 4-10; Darryn Frazier 2-8;
Liki Turner 1-5; Zamarius McLendon 0-3; Marcus Wright 0-5), Columbus State
6-24 (Jarmarquis Steverson 2-6; Steve Peterson 2-8; Winford Ivey 1-4; Idell
Bell 1-6). Fouled out--Francis Marion-Marcus Wright, Columbus State-Paul
Darkwa. Rebounds--Francis Marion 33 (Liki Turner 8), Columbus State 46 (Paul
Darkwa 12; Darius Mcknight 12). Assists--Francis Marion 13 (Liki Turner 5),
Columbus State 9 (Idell Bell 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 24, Columbus
State 15. Technical fouls--None. A-495