COLUMBUS, GA – Top-seeded Columbus State University used a record-breaking first-half performance to help secure a 101-89 victory over Francis Marion University, Sunday (Feb. 28) in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Peach Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.

Francis Marion ends its season with a 17-12 mark, the most wins for the Patriots in six seasons.  CSU (21-6) advances to Saturday's semifinals, also in Columbus.

Junior guard Alante Fenner led FMU with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting.  The sophomore trio of Mike Davis Jr., Detrek Browning, and A.J. Jackson scored 23, 18, and 15 points respectively.  Browning handed out a game-high seven assists and shared team-honors with eight rebounds.

Columbus State led wire-to-wire thanks to the Cougars' record-breaking start. The Cougars scored 64 first-half points, besting the old PBC Tournament mark for points in a half of 59 set in 1992. Over the first 20 minutes, Columbus State shot 65 percent (26-for-40) and was 10-for-17 from three-point territory.

CSU scored the first five points and raced to an early 18-6 advantage less than five minutes into the game. The Cougars took their first double-digit lead (20-9) at the 14:10 mark on a DeMarcus McVay layup.

FMU cut the margin to 29-22 following a three-pointer by Browning, and the Patriots trailed only 36-28 after a layup by Davis Jr. with 8:33 left before halftime.  The Cougars scored 12 of the game's next 14 points to surge to a 48-30 margin with just over six minutes remaining.

Francis Marion was able to cut its deficit to nine points on two occasions over the final minutes of the half, but the Cougars scored eight of the final 14 points of the stanza to take a 64-51 advantage at intermission.

Columbus State led by as many as 18 points in the second stanza, 77-59, but Francis Marion used a 10-2 spurt to climb within 79-69 after a Browning three-pointer with 9:52 on the clock.  Another three-pointer, this one by Jackson, brought the Patriots to within seven points (92-85) with 2:39 left, but the Cougars closed the game with a 9-4 spurt.

McVay led CSU with 22 points and 12 rebounds, both season-high totals, while four other Cougars scored at least 12 points including 19 from Cam Baker and 15 from Brent Jackson.

Francis Marion shot 42.7 percent (32-for-75) from the field, including 13-of-33 from beyond the arc, and the Patriots hit 12-of-14 free throw attempts.  Although the Cougars cooled off somewhat in the second half, they finished the contest shooting 55.9 percent (38-for-68) from the floor, including 12-for-24 from three-point range, and CSU made 13-of-22 attempts at the foul line.

Three Patriot seniors played their final game: forwards Alex Bryant, Mykel Harris, and David Jerome.