FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University cut a 21-point second-half deficit down to seven with four minutes remaining, but the Patriot rally would fall short as Elizabeth City State University claimed a 107-87 non-conference win over the Patriots, Sunday afternoon (Dec. 30) in men's basketball action.

Francis Marion (4-4) will return to Peach Belt Conference play on Wednesday night (Jan. 2) when the Patriots play host to 12th-ranked Augusta State University at 7:30 p.m.  The contest will be part of a Pee Dee Education Day doubleheader with all grade-school students (K-12), teachers, and staff being admitted free with their school identification cards.

Junior guard Evrik Gary paced the Patriots with 20 points and 10 rebounds, the third double-double of his career and second this season.  Sophomore swingman Dustin Jones, and junior guards Chris Rhodes and Tyler Deihl each scored nine points.

Senior 6-4 swingman Angelo Sharpless, one of the top scorers in NCAA Division II, led the Vikings (7-3) with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists.  He was 10-of-14 from the floor and 14-of-19 at the free throw line.

The Vikings opened the game with a three-pointer by Glenn Patterson and never trailed.  The Patriots misfired on 18 of their first 23 shots from the field as ECSU opened up a 26-13 advantage near the midway point of the first stanza.

The lead would grow to 20 points (52-32) following a free throw by Shaquil Barber with 3:16 left before intermission.  Francis Marion closed the half with a 12-4 spurt to trim the margin to 56-44 at halftime.

The lead swelled to 21 points four minutes into the second half when Quintin Spady drained a fast-break three-pointer. The Patriots gradually chipped away at the Viking lead and when Gary found Deihl alone under the basket for a layup, FMU trailed by only seven points (91-84) with 4:10 remaining.

However, Patterson answered with another three-pointer to ignite a decisive 10-0 ECSU run.  Sharpless made five free throws during the spurt.

FMU managed only 29.3 percent shooting for the game, and was 7-of-35 from beyond the three-point arc.  ECSU connected on 46 percent of its field goal attempts and was 40-of-61 at the foul line as FMU was whistled for 40 fouls.

12/30/12 2 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIV. 107, FRANCIS MARION UNIV. 87

ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIV. (7-3)
SHARPLESS,Angelo 10-14 14-19 35; BYRD,Dominique 3-6 6-8 12; RICE,Deon 4-5
1-2 12; PRICE,Blake 3-5 3-7 9; PATTERSON,Glenn 2-9 3-4 9; KEY,Kentrell 2-4
2-3 6; SPADY,Quintin 2-5 0-0 6; MOORE,Jaron 0-1 4-6 4; SNEED,Rashaad 1-2 2-4
4; BARBER,Shaquil 1-3 2-4 4; JOHNSON,AJ 1-5 0-0 3; FAULCON,Miykael 0-4 2-2
2; JACKSON,Malachi 0-0 1-2 1; GRIFFIN,Brachon 0-0 0-0 0; HAMMONDS,Shawn 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 29-63 40-61 107.
FRANCIS MARION UNIV. (4-4)
Evrik Gary 7-20 5-7 20; Tyler Deihl 3-9 2-2 9; Chris Rhodes 3-8 2-2 9;
Dustin Jones 3-6 1-1 9; Nequan Melvin 2-10 4-6 8; Robert Carpenter 2-8 4-4
8; Clayton Williams 2-11 3-4 8; Mi'Kyel Nero 2-3 1-2 6; Antonio Freeman 1-1
1-2 3; Alex Tucker 1-4 0-0 2; Storm Clonch 1-7 0-0 2; Cameron Lee 0-3 2-2 2;
AJ Caldwell 0-2 1-4 1. Totals 27-92 26-36 87.
Halfime: Elizabeth City State 56  Francis Marion 44
3-point goals--Elizabeth City State Univ. 9-22 (RICE,Deon 3-4; SPADY,Quintin
2-4; PATTERSON,Glenn 2-6; SHARPLESS,Angelo 1-1; JOHNSON,AJ 1-4;
FAULCON,Miykael 0-3), Francis Marion Univ. 7-35 (Dustin Jones 2-3; Chris
Rhodes 1-2; Evrik Gary 1-9; Tyler Deihl 1-6; Mi'Kyel Nero 1-2; Clayton
Williams 1-6; AJ Caldwell 0-2; Storm Clonch 0-2; Robert Carpenter 0-3).
Fouled out--Elizabeth City State Univ.-RICE,Deon, Francis Marion
Univ.-Robert Carpenter; Dustin Jones. Rebounds--Elizabeth City State Univ.
56 (SHARPLESS,Angelo 14), Francis Marion Univ. 55 (Evrik Gary 10).
Assists--Elizabeth City State Univ. 19 (PRICE,Blake 7), Francis Marion Univ.
13 (Tyler Deihl 2; Evrik Gary 2; Storm Clonch 2; Chris Rhodes 2; Clayton
Williams 2). Total fouls--Elizabeth City State Univ. 26, Francis Marion
Univ. 40. Technical fouls--None. A-462