YOUNG HARRIS, GA – Francis Marion University senior forward Bryce Beamer paced the Patriots with 23 points in an 89-82 loss to Young Harris College on Wednesday (Dec. 13) in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action.
 
The Patriots (3-5, 1-1) will return to the court on Saturday (Dec. 16) at 20th-ranked USC Aiken, before their home-opener against Converse University in the recently renovated Smith University Center on Monday night.  Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. in Aiken, S.C.
 
Beamer accumulated his total while shooting 9-of-17 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Beamer picked up a team-high six rebounds.
 
With 20 points, senior guard Tionne Rollins went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Rollins also led the Patriots with four assists.  Setting a new career high, FMU freshman guard Horaces Jacques Jr. scored 14 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field.
 
Francis Marion outmatched the Mountain Lions in all areas of shooting; field goals, three-pointers, and free throws. FMU shot 51.7 percent from the floor while Young Harris completed 50 percent. The Patriots also had a 36.4 three-point percentage compared to YHC's 34.6 percent.
 
Holding an advantage over Francis Marion, Young Harris collected 37 rebounds while FMU grabbed only 22.
 
Carl Cleveland, shooting 11-of-19 from the field, led Young Harris (5-3, 1-0) with 33 points.
 
Kicking off the opening half, Young Harris jumped to an early 16-7 lead, but FMU worked back to a one-point deficit. Sinking a deep three-pointer, Rollins knotted the score at 24-24. Fighting through a double-team, Beamer dropped another bucket and Francis Marion took the lead for the first time at 29-28. Although FMU was able to stay ahead for another seven points, Young Harris reclaimed the lead at 33-32 and finished the first half in front.
 
Jumping out quickly, the Patriots evened the contest at 42-42 after intermission. Although keeping it close, Young Harris kept their advantage with a 53-51 score. Buckets from Beamer and Jacques Jr. briefly put FMU back on top at 61-59, but the lead was short lived as Kolbe Ashe sank a three-pointer for Young Harris. The Mountain Lions continued their run and stretched their margin to 88-80 nearing the end of the game.
 
 
12/13/23 1:00 pm at Young Harris, GA
YOUNG HARRIS 89, FRANCIS MARION 82
FRANCIS MARION (3-6,1-1 Conferen)
Bryce Beamer 9-17 2-2 23; Tionne Rollins 5-10 7-8 20; Horaces Jacques Jr.
6-11 0-1 14; Niko Noumeros 3-6 3-3 9; Marlow Gilmore Jr. 3-3 0-0 6; Ibrahim
Wattara 3-4 0-0 6; Farid SaintCyr Jr. 0-6 2-4 2; Willie Patterson III 1-1
0-0 2; Adonis Cole 0-0 0-0 0; Chandler O'Bannon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-58
14-18 82.
YOUNG HARRIS (6-3,2-0 Conferen)
Carl Cleveland 11-19 8-10 33; Kolbe Ashe 4-8 4-4 16; Cole Deptula 6-10 0-0
13; Matija Millivojevic 5-7 0-0 11; Turahn Thompson 1-6 7-10 9; Cameron
Bleshoy 2-2 0-0 4; Eden Davis 1-4 0-0 2; Nate Dunlop 0-3 1-2 1; Paul Hosey
0-0 0-0 0; Grayson Honaker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-60 20-26 89.
Francis Marion...............   39   43  -   82
Young Harris..................   42   47  -   89
3-point goals--Francis Marion 8-22 (Tionne Rollins 3-5; Bryce Beamer 3-8;
Horaces Jacques Jr. 2-5; Farid SaintCyr Jr. 0-2; Niko Noumeros 0-2), Young
Harris 9-26 (Kolbe Ashe 4-8; Carl Cleveland 3-6; Matija Millivojevic 1-2;
Cole Deptula 1-5; Nate Dunlop 0-3; Grayson Honaker 0-1; Eden Davis 0-1).
Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, Young Harris-Cameron Bleshoy.
Rebounds--Francis Marion 22 (Bryce Beamer 6), Young Harris 37 (Carl
Cleveland 10). Assists--Francis Marion 20 (Tionne Rollins 4), Young Harris
19 (Cameron Bleshoy 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 23, Young Harris 18.
Technical fouls—FMU Horaces Jacques Jr.  A-750