Crayton Jones leads Patriots to 67-65 upset of #25 GCSU

FLORENCE, SC – Senior point guard Crayton Jones recorded his first career double-double with a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds and junior Anthony Wallen’s layup with 32 seconds left helped Francis Marion University earn a stunning 67-65 upset of 25th-ranked Georgia College & State University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21) in Peach Belt Conference men’s basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 16-9 overall and evens its PBC mark at 9-9, while spoiling Homecoming for the Bobcats (19-5, 13-5). It is the second win over a ranked opponent for the Patriots this season, a first for FMU since the PBC was formed in 1991. It is only the fourth-ever win for Francis Marion in Milledgeville since the formation of the conference.

Jones led the Patriots, while Wallen scored 12 points. Junior Matt French and sophomore David Turner came off the FMU bench to tally 14 and 11 points respectively. Turner also pulled down 10 rebounds.

Guard Shaun Keaton led GCSU with 31 points, including a 10-of-11 night at the free throw line – but the one miss was crucial.

Two free throws by senior Houston Power pulled Francis Marion to within 63-62 with 1:08 left. After a turnover by Keaton, Wallen scored his layup with 32 ticks remaining to put the Patriots up 64-63. On the ensuing possession, 6-7 senior forward Kevin Clark blocked a jumper by Keaton and Power grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He drained two more free throws with :20 on the clock to give FMU a 66-63 margin.

With just seven seconds left, Keaton was fouled on a three-point attempt, but missed the first of his three shots. After Keaton made the second and third tries to draw the Bobcats to within 66-65, Patriot senior Sam Smith was fouled. He made one of two at the stripe to give Francis Marion a 67-65 advantage. As GCSU brought the ball up the court, the Bobcats called time out with 1.2 seconds left, and then Ty Rowland missed a three-pointer to allow FMU to escape with the victory.

Francis Marion led by as many as 10 points in the first half, before settling for a 36-33 halftime lead. The Patriots held the Bobcats to 31.3 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes.

GCSU quickly took the lead in the second half, and went up 48-40 following a three-pointer by Keaton with 13:05 left. Francis Marion answered with an 8-0 run to knot the score at 48-48. The score would be tied four more times before the final minute.

The Patriots led GCSU 30-12 in points-in-the-paint, and the FMU bench outscored the Bobcat bench 29-11.

For the game, Francis Marion shot 43.4 percent and was 17-of-25 at the free throw line. GCSU shot only 35.2 percent and was 18-of-28 at the stripe.

Francis Marion will host Armstrong Atlantic State University for Senior Night on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

By Michael G. Hawkins