ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – Francis Marion University junior guard Adonis Cole opened the 2024-25 season with 12 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, five assists, and four steals, but the Patriots fell 104-101 in overtime to USC Beaufort in the first game of the Southeast Region Crossover Tournament, Friday afternoon (Nov. 8).
 
The Patriots (0-1) will compete against the host school Flagler College on Saturday (Nov. 8) afternoon with a tip-off time of 3:30 p.m.
 
For Cole, it was his third career double-double.
 
FMU sophomore guard Horaces Jacques Jr. tallied a team-high 18 points, connecting on 60 percent (6-of-10) from the field. Junior forward Jordyn Surratt chipped in another 15 points as he shot 7-of-8 from the floor. Surratt also corralled eight rebounds, alongside freshman guard Ramez Zayed who registered an additional eight rebounds.
 
Shooting 5-of-7 from the field, junior forward AJ Hamrick contributed 11 points for the Patriots, while junior guard Jordan Simpson, freshman forward Alex Atkinson, and Zayed scored 10 points apiece.
 
USCB's Alejandro Ralat (29) and Kyle Polce (22) combined for 51 of the 104 points to pace the Sand Sharks (1-0).
 
After opening the first half with a dunk from Surratt, USCB jumped to a 7-3 lead over FMU. Quick buckets from Atkinson, Hamrick, and senior forward Ibrahim Wattara exchanged leads between the two teams as the Patriots gained a one-point advantage at 8-7.
 
Francis Marion and USCB exchanged leads twice more before the Patriots went on a seven-point run that began with Simpson draining a long-range three. The Patriots held the lead for the remainder of the first half, even extending the margin to 13 points in the final three seconds with a made three-pointer from Jacques Jr. FMU entered halftime leading 54-41.
 
Francis Marion began the second half hot, outscoring the Sand Sharks 12-2. This would be the Patriots largest lead of the night as they held a 21-point lead at 68-47. Despite the large margin, USCB closed the gap and knotted the score at 91-91 on a late three-pointer to force overtime.
 
The Patriots took the lead by one point at 92-91 as Surratt put away one-of-two free throws. Francis Marion's last bucket was delivered by Jacques Jr. on a three-pointer from the wing, the Patriots falling by three-points in the final seconds.