Patriot Men misfire at end and fall 57-51 to GCSU

FLORENCE, SC – Sparked by a three-pointer from Shaun Keaton, Georgia College & State University scored the game’s final nine points to claim a 57-51 win over Francis Marion University, Saturday evening (Jan. 17) in Peach Belt Conference men’s basketball action.

Francis Marion drops its seven straight game to the Bobcats and falls to 10-3 on the season and 3-3 in the PBC. The Patriots also failed in their attempt to beat GCSU in Florence for the first time since 1999.

Reserves Simel Boyd and Anthony Wallen each scored 12 points to lead Francis Marion as Patriot starters shot only 8-for-22 and tallied just 17 points.

Guard Jake Rios came off the GCSU bench to score 14 points, while guard Graham Martin added 10 points and seven rebounds. GCSU improves to 10-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play.

Trailing 14-11, FMU scored 12 straight points to grab a 23-14 first-half lead. A late surge by the Bobcats trimmed that margin to 28-25 at intermission.

FMU opened the second stanza by missing seven of its first eight shots and GCSU rallied to tie the game at 30-30. The Bobcats would lead briefly, but FMU answered with a 7-0 spurt, capped by a Wallen four-point play with 11:20 on the clock, to lead 41-37.

The lead would grow to six points (45-39) following a jump shot by Houston Power with 9:50 remaining.

A stick-back by 6-7 junior forward Matt French gave the Patriots a 51-48 lead with 2:33 left. However those would be FMU’s final points. Francis Marion missed its final three shots and committed two turnovers in the decisive final minutes.

The three-pointer by Keaton tied the game at 51-51, and with 1:39 left, a free throw by Josh Hurst gave GCSU a 52-51 lead. Following an FMU turnover, Hurst rebounded his own miss and scored with 38 ticks left on the clock. On the ensuing possession, FMU missed on a layup and Martin converted two free throws at the Bobcat end for a 56-51 advantage. Martin would hit another free throw with eight seconds left to account for the final margin.

FMU committed twice as many turnovers as the Bobcats (20-10) and connected on only 4-of-24 three-point shots, including 1-of-12 over the final 20 minutes.

GCSU finished the game 15-of-18 at the free throw line, all coming in the final half.


Francis Marion will play at seventh-ranked Augusta State University on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. The Patriots’ next home game will be Jan. 24 against Clayton State University at 4 p.m.