Turner’s stick-back wins Homecoming thriller for FMU 75-73

FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore forward David Turner’s stick-back of a missed three-pointer with 0.3 on the clock gave Francis Marion University a thrilling 75-73 Homecoming win over Columbus State University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 14) in men's basketball action.

FMU (15-7, 8-7) wins for the fifth time in its last seven games and strengthens its hold on fifth place in the PBC standings.

Senior forward Kevin Clark led FMU with 19 points and 10 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the season. Junior guard Anthony Wallen hit on 4-of-8 three-point attempts en route to 16 points. Simel Boyd added nine points and nine rebounds.

Senior forward Sean Miller paced Columbus State (8-13, 6-9) with 23 points and 11 rebounds. He connected on 7-of-12 three-point attempts including a game-tying three with 28 seconds left. Junior Brandon Bland added 16 points and Carlos Wright 10.

A tip-in by Turner of his own miss with 31 seconds remaining had given FMU a 73-70 lead, but Miller drained his game-tying triple from the top-of-the-key only three seconds later. That left the score tied at 73-73 with the shot clock off. On the final possession, Clark missed badly on a three-pointer from the left wing, but fortunately for the Patriots the ball did not hit the rim and bounced off the backboard into the waiting arms of Turner, who laid the ball back in, sending what remained of the crowd of 1,587 into a frenzy.

Midway through the first half, FMU used an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 28-16 following a three-pointer by Wallen with 9:06 left in the half. However, the Cougars answered with a 17-4 spurt to take a 33-32. A three-pointer by Wright capped the rally with 4:11 on the clock.

Patriot senior forward Sam Smith scored the half’s final four points to give FMU a 42-36 advantage at intermission.

In the second stanza, FMU led 44-38, before CSU again rallied and tied the score at 48-48 with 14:26 remaining. After that point, no team would lead by more than four points. A three-pointer by Wallen knotted the score at 70-70 with 2:02 left. Following a CSU miss, Boyd hit 1-of-2 free throws with 1:03 left to put FMU up 71-70. On the ensuing possession, the Cougars turned the ball over on a backcourt violation setting the stage for Turner’s tip-in with 31 ticks on the clock.

The shooting was nearly even for both squads with FMU hitting 40.9 percent from the floor and the Cougars 40.7 percent. Francis Marion was 14-of-22 at the foul line compared to CSU’s 15-of-23.

FMU will play at Lander University on Monday at 7:30 p.m., while Columbus State hosts nationally ranked Georgia College & State University on the same night also at 7:30 p.m.