FMU ROUNDUP: First half keys Jaguars past Patriots

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Francis Marion got a career-high 24 points from junior swingman Darryn Frazier to go along with senior Liki Turner’s 25-point output, but the Patriots fell to Augusta State University 94-80 in Peach Belt Conference men’s action Saturday.

Frazier came off the bench to register his career-high total in only 26 minutes, the third straight game he has set or equaled his career high.  In fact, he is averaging 19.3 points per game over the three contests.  On Saturday, he was 7-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 6-of-6 at the foul line.

Turner registered his ninth double-double of the year adding 10 rebounds to his 25 points. Senior guard Marcus Wright tallied 13 points and five assists, while sophomore guard Evrik Gary added 12 points.

The Patriots (14-10, 7-7) fell behind early when the Jaguars (14-9, 10-5) went on a 10-0 run over the span of 1:37, finished off by a Tye Beal three-pointer to lead 19-9.  FMU trimmed the margin down to four points, 21-17, at 11:58 when Frazier hit from long-range. 

The Jaguars responded with a 10-0 run to lead 31-17.  The spurt was capped off on another three-pointer from Beal.  A lay-up by O’Neal Armstrong with 5:09 left in the first half gave Augusta State its biggest bulge of the stanza at 23 points (44-21), as the Patriots turned the ball over 10 times in the opening 20 minutes. 

Augusta State shot a sizzling 66.7 percent from the field in the first stanza, including 9-of-13 from three-point land.

The Patriots worked the margin down to five points, 68-63, following a jumper by Gary with 11:17 remaining. Gary scored all 12 of his points in the second half.    However, that would be as close as FMU would get, as a 13-3 ASU spurt pushed the margin back to double digits. 

Beal led Augusta State with 21 points, and was one of five Jaguars to score in double-digits.

Francis Marion is back in action Wednesday when the Patriots travel to UNC Pembroke. 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FMU, 59, Augusta State 51

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Senior forward Simone Trice scored a career-high 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and with the exception of the opening minute Francis Marion University led the remainder of the game as the Patriots grabbed a Peach Belt Conference road win.

After giving up the opening bucket, FMU (8-14, 3-11) evened the score when senior T.T. Belcher converted on a lay-up to ignite a 9-0 run for the Patriots.  Augusta State (11-12, 6-9) got the FMU lead down to five at 16-11 on an Amber Peterson three-pointer, but Francis Marion used a big first half from Trice to take an 11-point lead into the locker room (30-19) at halftime.

Trice scored 12 of her 16 points before halftime on a day when the Patriot frontcourt was short-handed.  FMU was playing without junior forward Daphne Walker and senior center Danielle Gibson because of injuries.

ASU further trimmed the lead to 52-48 with 1:20 remaining, but FMU sealed the victory at the charity stripe with the trio of junior Kristen Dickerson, freshman Chelsey Johnson, and Christian each knocking down free throws over the final minute.

Christian scored 11 points and Johnson equaled her career-high of 10.

Francis Marion shot 41.5 percent from the floor, while holding ASU to 35.6 percent shooting.  FMU outrebounded the Jaguars 36-30.  The win avenged a 49-42 home loss to the Jaguars back in December.

FMU tennis sweeps Bulldogs

WILSON, N.C. – The Francis Marion University men’s and women’s tennis teams both swept non-conference matches from Barton College on Saturday.

The 14th-ranked FMU men won 9-0 as did the Patriot women.