FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University sophomore guard Detrek Browning scored a game-high 25 points, including 21 in the opening half when he nearly outscored Flagler College, to lead the streaking Patriots to a 93-70 Homecoming victory, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 6) in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.

FMU captures its sixth win in its last seven contests to improve to 15-8 overall and 7-7 in the PBC.  The Patriots are tied for third in the East Division, but only one game behind second-place Augusta University.

The victory came before a season-high crowd of 1,917 that included many members of the 1990-91 men's basketball squad that won the NAIA District Six championship and made the school's only trip to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

FMU will play its next two games on the road, including a Wednesday evening game (7:30 p.m.) at Armstrong State University.  The Patriots' next home appearance will be Feb. 17 against Augusta at 7:30 p.m.

Browning shot 6-of-11 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from behind the three-point, and made all eight of his free throws.  He also hauled down a team-high nine rebounds and handed out six assists.

FMU sophomore swingman Mike Davis Jr. scored 19 points, while sophomore forward Judah Alexander added 14 points and eight rebounds and sophomore A.J. Jackson chipped in 11 points.  Alexander, like Browning, was a perfect 8-of-8 at the charity stripe.

Freshman guard Vaughn McCall came off the Flagler (6-16, 2-12) bench to score a team-high 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting.  Senior guard Matt Clark chipped in 12 points, while senior forward Keith Gray posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Flagler scored the game's opening four points on two free throws and a dunk by Gray. FMU quickly rallied to take the lead for good at 7-6 on two free throws by Alexander with 13:46 remaining in the first half.  The margin was still one point (14-13) with 11:04 left, but Browning contributed seven points to an 11-2 spurt as Francis Marion claimed a 25-15 advantage.

The Saints responded with five straight points to pull within 25-20, but FMU answered with a 15-3 run to go up 40-23 with two minutes left before halftime.  Browning again aided the Patriot effort with a pair of three-pointers.  FMU led 46-25 at intermission.

The Francis Marion advantage grew to 53-29 after the first career three-pointer by senior center Alex Bryant.  However, Flagler rallied to trim the margin to 13 points at 56-43 with 13:37 left.  Following an FMU timeout, the Patriots again pushed the margin above 20 points at 66-45 after two foul shots by Davis Jr.

The Saints again rallied, this time cutting the deficit to 12 points, at 77-65, after a fast-break layup by McCall with 3:54 on the clock.  Francis Marion scored the next 10 points to lead 87-65 and seal the win.

Francis Marion connected on 45.2 percent of its field goal attempts, including 11-of-25 three-point shots, and was 26-of-31 at the foul line.  Flagler shot only 36.2 percent from the floor, was 10-of-28 from long range, and hit 18-of-25 free throws.

The Patriots held a 44-33 rebounding advantage, led 19-7 in second-chance points, and had a 30-16 edge in points-in-the-paint.

2-6-16 3:45 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 93, FLAGLER COLLEGE 70
FLAGLER COLLEGE (6-16, 2-12 PBC)
Vaughn McCall 6-13 4-7 20; Matt Clark 5-12 0-0 12; Nick Grier 3-8 1-2 10;
Keith Gray 1-4 8-8 10; Jeffercy Jean 2-4 2-2 7; Keshaun Hamilton 2-9 2-2 6;
Ben Bobbitt 2-7 0-2 4; Jarrod Widdows 0-1 1-2 1; Christian Bybjerg 0-0 0-0
0; Cade Muckle 0-0 0-0 0; Austin Howard 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-58 18-25 70.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (15-8, 7-7 PBC)
Detrek Browning 6-11 8-8 25; Mike Davis Jr. 6-16 5-6 19; Judah Alexander 3-4
8-8 14; A.J. Jackson 4-8 0-0 11; Alante Fenner 3-6 3-6 9; Samson Nnaji 1-4
2-3 4; Mykel Harris 2-5 0-0 4; Alex Bryant 1-2 0-0 3; Kenneth Jackson 1-4
0-0 2; Brandon Parker 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-62 26-31 93.
Halftime: Francis Marion 46 Flagler 25
3-point goals--Flagler College 10-28 (Vaughn McCall 4-8; Nick Grier 3-6;
Matt Clark 2-6; Jeffercy Jean 1-3; Ben Bobbitt 0-3; Keshaun Hamilton 0-2),
Francis Marion University 11-25 (Detrek Browning 5-7; A.J. Jackson 3-7; Mike
Davis Jr. 2-10; Alex Bryant 1-1). Fouled out--Flagler College-Keith Gray;
Jeffercy Jean, Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds--Flagler College 33
(Keith Gray 10), Francis Marion University 44 (Detrek Browning 9).
Assists--Flagler College 18 (Keshaun Hamilton 4), Francis Marion University
18 (Detrek Browning 6). Total fouls--Flagler 24, Francis Marion 20.
Technical fouls--None. A-1917
Homecoming 2016 ; Charges drawn: Nnaji, Jean