FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University featured five players in double-figures on Saturday (Feb. 7), as the Patriots captured an 81-69 Homecoming victory over Belmont Abbey College in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action at the Smith University Center.

With the win, Francis Marion improves to 7-14 overall, with a 7-6 mark in league competition. The Patriots secured their fourth straight win over the Crusaders with three of those wins on FMU's home court. Francis Marion returns to action on Tuesday (Feb. 10) as it hosts Chowan University in a divisional matchup, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Fifth-year guard Patrick Antonelli and senior swingman Cole Deptula tied for the team lead with 15 points. Antonelli finished 6-of-11 shooting with a trio of three-pointers while adding six assists, five rebounds, and three steals in 36 minutes. Deptula shot five-of-eight from the floor with five rebounds, one assist, and three steals in 37 minutes.

FMU sophomore forward Clyde Mauldin scored 14 points while converting five-of-six from the free-throw line. He also added six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block. Junior guard Kennard Davis recorded his third double-double of the season after tallying 11 points, 11 assists, and one steal in 36 minutes.

Daniel Lubamaba and Gabe Cerda of Belmont Abbey (6-14, 4-10) each scored 16 points.

In the first half, Belmont Abbey jumped ahead in the opening minutes by a 10-3 margin after knocking down a pair of three-pointers. FMU rallied back with an impressive 13-3 run, led by Deptula with six points, to establish a 16-13 advantage with 12:25 to go. The Crusaders quickly tied the contest with another three-pointer before Francis Marion converted 7-of-11 from the floor with six different scorers to grab a 35-24 lead with 4:45 left. Belmont Abbey managed to cut into the deficit ahead of halftime, but the Patriots went into the break with a 39-30 edge.

Deptula and Antonelli combined for 12 points in the initial three minutes of the second half to extend the Francis Marion lead to 51-36. Davis later followed up with back-to-back treys as part of eight unanswered points to climb the lead to 61-40 with 12:43 remaining. FMU made six of its next 12 shots, plus going a perfect six-of-six from the free-throw line to pull away late, 81-62. The Crusaders tallied the final seven points of the contest, as the Patriots secured the win by an 81-69 margin.

Francis Marion finished the contest shooting 28-of-54 (51.9 percent) from the floor while converting 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Belmont Abbey posted a .473 field goal percentage (26-of-55) and made 10-of-28 (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc. The Patriots finished with a 30-27 rebounding advantage with 36 points in the paint. The Crusaders tallied 30 points in the paint and 18 points off the bench.