Patriot cage team picks up transfer pair

Francis Marion University men’s basketball coach Gary Edwards has announced that 6-6 swingman Andy Peterson of Sarasota, Fla., and 6-9 post player Andrew Smith of South Milwaukee, Wis., will transfer to FMU and join the Patriot program this fall.
Peterson will transfer to Francis Marion after two seasons at Manatee Community College in Florida.
This past season, he averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game and connected on 54.1 percent of his field goal attempts while earning second-team All-Suncoast Conference recognition.
As a freshman, he averaged 10 points and five rebounds per contest and shot 56.8 percent from the field as the Lancers posted a 17-14 record and made their first state tournament appearance in nine years.
A three-year starter in high school, he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists per game as a senior at Sarasota High School. He gained first-team All-Area honors and was named the most valuable player of the 2007 Sarasota-Manatee County PAL Game.
The 260-pound Smith is transferring from the University of Texas-Pan American, where he played one season. As a freshman, he averaged 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds, while shooting 54.2 percent from field and 69.6 percent at the foul line.
He was a highly decorated player at South Milwaukee High School where he scored more than 1,000 points. He was a first-team All-State and All-Southeast Conference selection while also earning conference Player of the Year honors and being named an All-Star selection.
“Andy had an outstanding junior college career in Florida and is an experienced player who can play a variety of positions,” Edwards said. “He is very skilled, but slender, and I hope we will be able to play him away from the basket a little more in the Peach Belt.
“I am very pleased Andrew will be a part of our program for the next three years. He gives us size and strength around the basket, but he can also step away from the basket and shoot the ball. Each year we have tried to recruit more size and power and this addition keeps us moving in that important direction.”
The two transfers bring to seven the number of newcomers on the Patriot roster for 2009-2010.
Francis Marion finished the 2008-09 season with a 16-12 record.