Young Harris, Ga. (Feb. 15, 2014) – Luka Zivkovic scored a team-high 12 points, but Francis Marion University was edged 68-61 by Young Harris College on Saturday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.

FMU falls to 8-13 overall and 5-10 in PBC play. Despite the loss, the Patriots remain a half game up on UNC Pembroke for the fourth spot in the PBC East Division, the final spot in the upcoming PBC Tournament.

Francis Marion will be back in action Sunday afternoon at the University of North Georgia for a 3:30 p.m. tipoff.

FMU graduate student Evrik Gary finished with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists. Junior center Clark Major was one point shy of a double-double after scoring nine points with a game-high 11 rebounds. Dustin Jones and Mykel Harris also chipped in nine points.

Young Harris (12-7, 6-6) was led by C.J. Wilson, who recorded a game-high 15 points. Isaiah Johnson chipped in 12 points, while Sam Watson added seven points and eight rebounds.

With the Patriots clinging to an early 9-7 lead three minutes into the game, the Mountain Lions reeled off an 11-0 run to take an 18-9 lead with 13:42 to play until halftime. FMU cut the lead back to three at 21-18 on a Zivkovic three-pointer, but trailed 35-29 at the halftime break.

Young Harris opened the second half with a 9-2 run, and saw its lead sit at 44-31 with 16:31 to play. The Mountain Lions' largest lead of the game came at 47-33 at the 14:08 mark of the second half, but a late 9-2 run capped by two Jones' three-pointers put the Patriots down 61-55 with 3:40 to go in the game.

After a pair of made free throws by Wilson, Jones struck again with another three-ball to put the Patriots back within five at 63-58 with three minutes to play. Zivkovic missed an opportunity to put FMU within a single possesion of the lead on a three-pointer, and Johnson later converted a pair of free throws to put Young Harris up 66-58 with 1:43 on the clock.

Harris missed a pair of jump shots, and Tyler Deihl missed a three-pointer on the next three Patriot possessions. Wilson sealed the game for the Mountain Lions with two final free throws with 19 seconds until the final whistle. Zivkovic hit a late three late to set the final score at 68-61.

The Patriots forced 20 turnovers which resulted in 10 points. Young Harris held a narrow 43-38 rebounding advantage, and a 22-17 advantage in points-in-the-paint.

2-15-14 3:45 p.m. at YHC Basketball Arena; Young Harris, Ga.
YOUNG HARRIS 68, FRANCIS MARION 61
FRANCIS MARION (8-13, 5-10 PBC)
Luka Zivkovic 4-11 0-1 12; Evrik Gary 4-11 2-2 10; Clark Major 3-5 2-4 9;
Mykel Harris 4-11 1-1 9; Dustin Jones 3-8 0-0 9; Tyler Deihl 2-4 0-0 6;
Trevonte Dixon 1-6 0-0 3; Robert Carpenter 1-6 1-3 3; David Brown 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 22-64 6-11 61.
YOUNG HARRIS (13-7, 7-6 PBC)
C.J. Wilson 4-7 4-4 15; Isaiah Johnson 3-11 5-6 12; Kevin Altidor 4-9 2-3
10; Herdie Lawrence 3-7 0-0 9; Sam Watson 2-3 3-5 7; Steve Viterbo 2-7 1-2
6; Tony Raymond 2-4 1-2 6; Bjorn Walker 1-3 1-2 3. Totals 21-51 17-24 68.
Halftime: Young Harris 35 Francis Marion 29
3-point goals--Francis Marion 11-31 (Luka Zivkovic 4-9; Dustin Jones 3-6;
Tyler Deihl 2-4; Clark Major 1-1; Trevonte Dixon 1-3; David Brown 0-1;
Robert Carpenter 0-3; Mykel Harris 0-3; Evrik Gary 0-1), Young Harris 9-22
(C.J. Wilson 3-5; Herdie Lawrence 3-6; Isaiah Johnson 1-4; Steve Viterbo
1-3; Tony Raymond 1-2; Bjorn Walker 0-1; Sam Watson 0-1). Fouled
out--Francis Marion-None, Young Harris-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 38
(Clark Major 11), Young Harris 43 (Bjorn Walker 9). Assists--Francis Marion
12 (Trevonte Dixon 3; Robert Carpenter 3), Young Harris 13 (Steve Viterbo
5). Total fouls--Francis Marion 21, Young Harris 17. Technical
fouls--None. A-701