PEMBROKE, NC – Junior forward Jordyn Surratt led Francis Marion University with 23 points in a 78-67 loss to I-95 rival UNC Pembroke, Monday (Feb. 3) night in men's basketball play.  
 
Francis Marion (8-13, 6-7) will host Barton College on Wednesday (Feb. 5) evening to continue Conference Carolinas conference play. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. following the women's game.
 
Junior guard Jordan Simpson also tallied double-digit points with 15 points, 11 of which he accumulated in the second half. Simpson posted team highs of eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
FMU freshman forward Alex Atkinson chipped in 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor.
 
Bradlee Haskell paced UNC Pembroke (14-6, 12-2) with 21 points while shooting 4-of-8 from the three-point line.
 
The battle of I-95 began with a one-point differential, the Braves ahead 5-4. After a brief stalemate at 6-6, Atkinson beat out his defender and sparked a six-point run to give the Patriots a 16-9 advantage.
 
Surratt then was able to convert an and-one opportunity into a three-point play, leaving the Braves trailing 23-16. UNC Pembroke was later able to climb back from the deficit, knotting the score once again at 30-30. UNCP continued its offensive efforts and jumped ahead to a 38-31 advantage.
 
Francis Marion outrebounded the Braves 19-15 in the first half, corralling eight offensive and 11 defensive.
 
There were a total of six lead changes in the first half and UNCP held it with a halftime score of 38-35.
 
Hot-handed Simpson tallied seven points through two back-to-back possessions as he drained two deep three-pointers, one of which he was able to convert into a four-point play after a foul by UNCP. This gave FMU a one-point lead, 45-44, at the 13:53 mark.
 
Two free throws at the charity stripe from junior forward Andres Arellano Jr. lifted Francis Marion to a 54-51 lead and then extended it to 56-51 with a throw down dunk from senior guard Ibrahim Wattara.
 
After a 10-0 run from the Braves, the Patriots fell behind 61-56. With under five minutes to play, Francis Marion trailed by six (67-61) as Surratt pump faked his defender for an open shot just below the basket.
 
UNC Pembroke then used a 9-0 run to coast to the win.