FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University canned 10 three-pointers during the second half, but the Patriots' upset bid fell just short in a 77-74 loss to 12th-ranked Augusta State University, Wednesday night (Jan. 2) in Peach Belt Conference men's action.

Francis Marion (4-5, 0-3) will travel to Armstrong Atlantic State University on Saturday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off.  The next home game for the Patriots will be Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. against Columbus State University.

Sophomore swingman Dustin Jones and junior guard Tyler Deihl led FMU with 12 points apiece, while junior guard Evrik Gary chipped in 11 and in the process surpassed 900 career points.  All twelve of Jones' points came after halftime.

Junior guard Ryan Weems poured in a career-high 27 points as Jaguars (7-2, 3-0) snapped a two-game losing skid.  Junior 6-6 forward Harold Doby logged his third double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds and senior Travis Keels notched 10 points.

The first half was a 20-minute exhibition of runs.  ASU scored the game's first seven points only to have FMU answer with a 25-6 spurt that produced a 25-13 Patriot lead after a layup by sophomore guard Clayton Williams.

The Jaguars responded with 12 straight points to knot the score at 25-25.  ASU scored eight of the final 11 points of the stanza to claim a 36-31 advantage at intermission.

A three-pointer by Jones on the initial possession of the second half trimmed the margin to 36-34, but Augusta State would expand the lead to 12 points (58-46) following a layup by Weems with 10:25 remaining.

Four three-pointers, including two by Jones, fueled a 14-4 Francis Marion spurt that cut the deficit to 62-60 with six minutes left.  A three-pointer by Robert Carpenter with 26 seconds remaining again trimmed the margin to two points at 74-72.  On the ensuing passion, Weems was fouled and made one of two free throws leaving the Patriots with possession of the ball and facing a three-point deficit. 

However, FMU missed on a jumper and Weems converted both fouls shots to expand the lead to 77-72. Patriot junior forward Antonio Freeman scored on an uncontested layup to bring the Patriots to within 77-74 and following a Jaguar turnover with 1.4 ticks left, FMU had one final chance.

On the in-bounds play, Gary ended up with the ball along the sideline, but his off-balance 35-foot attempt was no good.

The Patriots, who entered the contest leading the PBC and the nation in scoring, shot 36.2 percent from the floor, but were 16-of-46 from behind the three-point arc.  FMU also forced the Jaguars into a season-high 20 turnovers.  ASU shot only 39.7 percent from the field, including 4-of-19 from long range, while canning 23-of-35 free throws.

1/2/13 8:05 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
AUGUSTA STATE UNIV. 77, FRANCIS MARION UNIV. 74

AUGUSTA STATE UNIV. (#12 7-2, 3-0 PBC)
Ryan Weems 9-14 6-9 27; Harold Doby 6-11 2-4 14; Travis Keels 3-3 4-4 10;
Chad July 1-5 5-6 7; Devon Wright-Nelson 3-10 0-2 6; D'Angelo Boyce 1-5 3-4
5; Roman Hill 1-4 2-4 4; Josh  Samuels 1-5 0-0 3; Devonte Thomas 0-6 1-2 1;
Trevor Foreman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-63 23-35 77.
FRANCIS MARION UNIV. (4-5, 0-3 PBC)
Dustin Jones 4-7 0-0 12; Tyler Deihl 4-5 0-0 12; Evrik Gary 3-12 3-4 11;
Robert Carpenter 3-5 0-0 9; AJ Caldwell 3-8 0-0 8; Clayton Williams 2-7 0-0
5; Chris Rhodes 2-4 1-2 5; Mi'Kyel Nero 1-4 2-2 4; Alex Tucker 1-1 1-2 3;
Antonio Freeman 1-5 1-2 3; Nequan Melvin 1-5 0-1 2; Storm Clonch 0-2 0-0 0;
Sam Caron 0-2 0-0 0; Cameron Lee 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-69 8-13 74.
Halftime: Augusta State 36  Francis Marion 31
3-point goals--Augusta State Univ. 4-19 (Ryan Weems 3-6; Josh  Samuels 1-2;
Devon Wright-Nelson 0-2; D'Angelo Boyce 0-2; Roman Hill 0-1; Devonte Thomas
0-6), Francis Marion Univ. 16-46 (Tyler Deihl 4-5; Dustin Jones 4-6; Robert
Carpenter 3-4; Evrik Gary 2-8; AJ Caldwell 2-7; Clayton Williams 1-3; Storm
Clonch 0-1; Sam Caron 0-2; Cameron Lee 0-2; Nequan Melvin 0-1; Antonio
Freeman 0-3; Mi'Kyel Nero 0-2; Chris Rhodes 0-2). Fouled out--Augusta State
Univ.-None, Francis Marion Univ.-Robert Carpenter. Rebounds--Augusta State
Univ. 56 (Harold Doby 13; Roman Hill 13), Francis Marion Univ. 31 (Alex
Tucker 5; Sam Caron 5). Assists--Augusta State Univ. 15 (D'Angelo Boyce 7),
Francis Marion Univ. 16 (Clayton Williams 3; Alex Tucker 3; Evrik Gary 3).
Total fouls--Augusta State Univ. 18, Francis Marion Univ. 24. Technical
fouls--Nequan Melvin. A-459

Charges Drawn: Freeman 2, Caldwell, Deihl