FLORENCE, SC – Clayton State University scored six straight points to break a 68-68 deadlock and the Lakers went on to claim an 82-79 victory over Francis Marion University, Saturday (Jan. 18) afternoon in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.

The Patriots will play a 3:30 p.m. MLK Day afternoon tilt at Georgia Southwestern State University on Monday.  FMU will return home on Wednesday to entertain Georgia College at 7:30 p.m. as the squad is in the midst of playing four games in eight days.

Freshman 6-5 post player Jamal Edmonson led Francis Marion with career-highs of 17 points and eight rebounds.  Sophomore center Winston Hill came off the Patriot bench to tally 16 points and seven rebounds, while senior point guard Jaquez Smith, junior forward Keith Matthews, and sophomore swingman Alex Cox each scored 12 points.

Senior guard Kyle Kincey led Clayton State (3-11, 1-6) with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and four steals, while junior 6-10 center Tionne Williams Jr. registered 19 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots.

Francis Marion scored the game's opening six points and led by as many 13 points, 31-18 after a lay-in by Edmonson with 7:27 left before halftime.  The Patriots owned a 42-39 advantage at intermission.

The score was knotted four different times in the second stanza, the final time at 68-68 with five minutes remaining.  The ensuing 6-0 spurt gave the Lakers a lead they would not relinquish. A three-pointer from the right corner by Cox brought FMU to within 79-76 with 13 seconds left.

POST-GAME COMMENTS FROM FMU HEAD COACH GARY EDWARDS

01/18/20 3:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
CLAYTON ST. 82, FRANCIS MARION 79
CLAYTON ST. (3-11,1-6 Peach B)
Kincey,Kyle 4-11 11-16 20; Williams, Jr.,Tionne 8-14 3-3 19; Mason,John 6-11
5-10 17; Abrams,Byron 4-8 2-4 14; Saams Jr,Ricardo 2-7 3-6 7; Sims Jr,Brian
1-2 1-1 3; Hunter,Arusha 0-2 2-2 2; Curtis,Jordan 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-56
27-42 82.
FRANCIS MARION (3-11,2-5 Peach B)
Jamal Edmonson 6-11 3-4 17; Winston Hill 6-10 3-6 16; Keith Matthews 5-10
1-2 12; Jaquez Smith 4-11 1-3 12; Alex Cox 4-10 0-0 12; Ja'Lil Robinson 2-11
0-0 6; Gabriel Dickerson 1-1 1-2 4; Trey Jones 0-3 0-0 0; Loginn Norton 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 28-67 9-17 79.
Clayton St....................       39   43  -   82
Francis Marion................   42   37  -   79
3-point goals--Clayton St. 5-12 (Abrams,Byron 4-6; Kincey,Kyle 1-3;
Mason,John 0-2; Hunter,Arusha 0-1), Francis Marion 14-36 (Alex Cox 4-9;
Jaquez Smith 3-9; Ja'Lil Robinson 2-8; Jamal Edmonson 2-3; Keith Matthews
1-3; Winston Hill 1-1; Gabriel Dickerson 1-1; Trey Jones 0-2). Fouled
out--Clayton St.-None, Francis Marion-Winston Hill. Rebounds--Clayton St. 47
(Kincey,Kyle 14), Francis Marion 31 (Jamal Edmonson 8). Assists--Clayton St.
14 (Williams, Jr.,Tionne 5), Francis Marion 22 (Alex Cox 5). Total
fouls--Clayton St. 16, Francis Marion 27. Technical fouls--None. A-982