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YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College led wire-to-wire as six players scored in double figures to lead the Mountain Lions to a 95-80 upset over No. 23 Francis Marion University in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Saturday (Dec. 30) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Mountain Lions, who shot 58.9 percent from the field (33-of-56), improved to 3-8 overall and to 2-3 in the Peach Belt, while the Patriots suffered their first loss of the season and fell to 8-1 and 3-1. Young Harris returns to action in the new year when they Mountain Lions travel to Morrow, Georgia, Wednesday (Jan. 3) for a 7:30 p.m. league contest against Clayton State University.

YHC scored the game's first eight points - six from Nicksen Blanc - and jumped out to a 26-13 lead after a layup by Antonio Wade with 8:49 remaining in the first half. The Patriots closed the margin down to seven points (26-19) on a Ryan Davis layup with 7:01 left, but the Mountain Lions used an 11-3 run to expand their lead to 15 points (37-22)  on a Corey Nelson layup with 73 seconds left before the half.

Young Harris added to its lead in the opening 90 seconds of the second half, taking an 18-point lead (45-27) on a Nelson layup. Francis Marion whittled down the deficit to five points (52-47) after a stick back from Judah Alexander with 13:03 to play. Young Harris thwarted any thoughts of a FMU rally as they used a 20-7 run to open up a 72-54 lead after Ben Waterhouse converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 6:51 remaining.

"It was a tremendous team effort with six guys scoring in double figures," said YHC head coach Pete Herrmann. "Ben (Waterhouse) was relentless in defending Detrick (Browning) tonight and Antonio (Wade) had another good game."

The Mountain Lions enjoyed their largest lead of the game - 19 points - on three difference occasions, before the Patriots got as close as eight points (87-79) on a Brandon Parker three-pointer with 80 seconds remaining. 

Wade led the Mountain Lions with 20 points and 10 assists for his third double double of the campaign to go along with his six steals and two blocks. Blanc finished with 16 points and six rebounds. J.B. Charles added 15 points and five rebounds, while Waterhouse tallied 14 points. Nelson nearly had a triple double as he scored 12 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out eight assists. Demari Edwards finished with 10 points, including eight from the free throw line.

Davis finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Patriots, who shot 40 percent (32-of-80) from the floor, while Detrek Browning finished with 18 points. Parker finished with 15 points.