FLORENCE, S.C. | Francis Marion University's Alex Cox came up with a steal and layup with 13 seconds remaining to lift the Patriots to a 79-78 come-from-behind Peach Belt Conference men's basketball victory over Young Harris College Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23) at the Smith Univerdsity Center.
Francis Marion improved to 3-3 overall and to 3-3 in the league, while the Mountain Lions fell to 2-4 and 2-3.
There were 17 lead changes and nine ties in the game. Neither team enjoyed more than a six-point lead in the opening 20 minutes as they teams battled a 38-38 tie at the half.
FMU jumped out a 43-38 lead in the first two minutes of the second half before Young Harris tied the game at 48 after Alphonso Willis' pull up jumper in the paint with 16:20 to play. The Mountain Lions used a 16-4 run to open up their largest lead - 12 points (66-54) - of the game after Willis connected on a turnaround jumper with 8:46 to go. Willis accounted for six points during the run, while Sebby Jean posted five more.
The Patriots gradually closed the deficit and took the lead 72-70 after Darius Dawson sunk a three-pointer from the corner with 2:56 to play. FMU built its lead to five (77-72) after Cox nailed a three-pointer a minute later. Back-to-back three pointer from Brian Free and Jacorie Archie gave the Mountain Lions a 78-77 lead with 42 seconds left.
Following a Patriot timeout, Holden Redparth missed a three-pointer and Young Harris collected the defensive rebound. However, Cox stepped in front of the ensuing outlet pass and drove down the lane for the winning layup The Mountain Lions had one shot, a 14-foot baseline jumper, on the final possession, but it missed and the final horn sounded before an another attempt could be launched.
Langston Gaither led the Patriots with 23 points behind hitting 13-of-14 free throws, while Cox finished with 20. Dawson and Uhana Ochan each contributed 10 points each. Ochan and Redparth led FMU with nine rebounds.
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Willis finished with a season-high 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists. Archie, who connected on 5-of-7 three-pointers, added 17 points, while Free added 15. Jean finished in double figures with 10.
