FLORENCE, SC – Playing without one of the top players in the conference, Francis Marion University put up a solid effort against nationally ranked and league-leading UNC Pembroke, but the Braves pulled away in the final minutes to claim an 83-71 Conference Carolinas win, Saturday evening (Jan. 21) in men's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion (10-7, 7-4) will play host to Barton College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.  The Braves, ranked 10th and 12th in the two NCAA Division II national polls, earn their 12th straight win to improve to 19-1 and 11-1.  UNCP also avenges its lone loss, an 89-76 decision to FMU back in November.
 
Senior guard Alex Cox led Francis Marion with 15 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Tionne Rollins scored 13 points off the bench.  Sophomore guard Farid SaintCyr Jr. added 11 points and senior forward Bryce Beamer 10.
 
The Patriots played without injured 6-8 center Jonah Pierce, who came into the contest averaging 15.2 points per game and a conference-leading 10.0 rebounds per contest.
 
Cortez Marion-Holmes and Bradlee Haskell paced UNCP with 14 points apiece, while Nygell Verdier tallied 13 points and nine rebounds.
 
The two teams were never separated by more than two possessions over the opening 20 minutes, a half that included six ties and five lead changes.  The Braves jumped out to a 7-1 advantage, but FMU responded with six straight points to knot the score.
 
Following a UNCP bucket that made the score 9-7, the Patriots ran off a 9-2 spurt to lead 16-11 near the midway point of the half.  The Braves answered with seven consecutive points to go up 18-16.
 
Later in the half, an 8-0 spurt by UNCP resulted in a 27-21 Braves' advantage at the 5:29 mark.  A 6-0 run by FMU put the Patriots back on top 35-32 entering the final minute, but three points from Anare Miller tied the score at intermission, 35-35.
 
The Braves opened a 48-42 lead five minutes into the second half, but the pesky Patriot squad again rallied to tie the score at 56-56 following a three-pointer by Cox with 10:49 remaining.  The margin was one point, a 67-66 UNCP lead, with 4:53 left.
 
A 13-3 spurt by the Braves produced an insurmountable 80-69 deficit entering the game's final minute.  UNCP shot 64.3 percent from the floor in the second half.
 
For the game, Francis Marion connected on 42.3 percent of its field goal attempts, including 6-of-19 from behind the arc, and was 21-of-28 at the free throw line.  UNCP shot 48.4 percent from the floor, including 5-of-13 from long range, and was 18-of-27 at the charity stripe.

 
 
01/21/23 4:00 pm at Florence, SC
#10/#12 UNC PEMBROKE 83, FRANCIS MARION 71
UNC PEMBROKE (19-1,11-1 Confer)
Bradlee Haskell 4-10 4-6 14; Cortez Marion-Holmes 6-10 2-2 14; Nygell
Verdier 5-8 3-6 13; JaJuan Carr 3-9 3-4 9; Elijah Cobb 4-7 1-1 9; KJ Walker
2-5 3-4 9; Jakari Gallon 3-4 0-0 6; Lureon Walker 1-3 1-2 4; Amare Miller
1-4 1-2 3; Javonte Waverly 1-1 0-0 2; Qon Murphy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-62
18-27 83.
FRANCIS MARION (10-7,7-4 Confere)
Alex Cox 5-11 4-5 15; Tionne Rollins 3-8 4-4 13; Farid SaintCyr Jr. 4-11 2-2
11; Bryce Beamer 3-6 4-4 10; Nick Silva 2-6 2-4 6; Adonis Cole 2-3 0-2 4;
Darius Jones 1-2 0-0 3; Yohan-Steve Yebga 1-1 1-2 3; Asante Turner 0-0 3-3
3; Doug Alves 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 22-52 21-28 71.
Halftime: 35-35
3-point goals--UNC Pembroke 5-13 (Bradlee Haskell 2-5; KJ Walker 2-3; Lureon
Walker 1-2; JaJuan Carr 0-2; Nygell Verdier 0-1), Francis Marion 6-19
(Tionne Rollins 3-7; Darius Jones 1-2; Alex Cox 1-3; Farid SaintCyr Jr. 1-4;
Doug Alves 0-2; Bryce Beamer 0-1). Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-None, Francis
Marion-None. Rebounds--UNC Pembroke 38 (Nygell Verdier 9), Francis Marion 26
(Nick Silva 9). Assists--UNC Pembroke 17 (Cortez Marion-Holmes 4), Francis
Marion 16 (Yohan-Steve Yebga 4). Total fouls--UNC Pembroke 20, Francis
Marion 21. Technical fouls--UNCP-Bradlee Haskell. A-667