YOUNG HARRIS, GA – Young Harris College used a 7-0 run early in the second half to pull away for a 78-65 win over Francis Marion University, Monday evening (Jan. 20) in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion, now 6-11 overall and 4-5 in conference play, will travel to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday at 7 p.m. for the latest installment of the Battle of I-95.  The next home game for the Patriots will be Saturday at 4 p.m. against King University.
 
FMU junior forward Jordyn Surratt posted his fourth double-double of the season and second in as many games with 17 points and a career-high equaling 13 rebounds.  He also handed out three assists and registered three steals.  Junior guard Jordan Simpson also scored 17 points and senior Ibrahim Wattara tallied 15 points and four assist.
 
Karl Chavis paced the Mountain Lions (11-5, 6-2) with 26 points.
 
Young Harris scored the game's first five points and raced to a 21-8 advantage after nine minutes.  The Patriots answered with a 16-2 run and took a 24-23 lead after a fast-break lay-in by Surratt at the 6:23 mark.  After a couple more lead changes, the Mountain Lions took the lead for good at 27-26 on two free throws by Chavis.  Young Harris led 33-30 at halftime.
 
A three-pointer by Simpson brought FMU to within 45-40 early in the second half, but Young Harris countered with its 7-0 run that pushed the margin to double digits at 52-40.  Buckets by Surratt and freshman Alex Atkinson cut the deficit to 57-49 with 8:47 on the clock, but the Mountain Lions would gradually pull away, scoring 11 of the next 14 points.
 
Francis Marion committed only five turnovers in the game and held an 18-5 edge in points-off-turnovers.
 
FMU connected on 33.3 percent of its field goal attempts and shot 13-of-20 at the free throw line.  Young Harris shot 50.9 percent and was 12-of-16 the foul line.