FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 7) – After falling into a double-digit deficit in the first half on Wednesday night, the Trojans suffered an 89-77 loss at Francis Marion in Conference Carolinas action.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive men's basketball team drops to 6-16 overall behind a 5-7 mark in conference play. The Patriots swept the season series after the initial meeting went to triple overtime in Kornegay Arena in early January. Meanwhile, Francis Marion improves to 11-10 this season with a 9-4 record in league action.
Redshirt sophomore
Redford Dunton registered 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting while totaling three rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 24 minutes. He continues to pace the team with 14.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while competing in 21 games.
Freshman
Josiah Watkins also produced 18 points on six-of-nine attempts with two rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes off the bench. Sophomore
Shane Peterson tallied 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 31 minutes.
The Patriots made four of their initial seven shots of the game to take an 11-4 advantage before UMO tallied five unanswered points to close the gap. Watkins scored the following four points to remain within two points of the lead before the sides traded the next 10 points of the contest. With FMU holding a 20-18 lead with 10:24 left, the Patriots mounted a 16-4 run after converting 7-of-12 from the floor to build a 36-22 advantage. The teams exchanged baskets over the final three-plus minutes of the first half with the Patriots holding a 43-29 lead at the break.
In the second half, the teams traded points in the initial five-plus minutes before FMU extended the lead with a 13-0 run to take a significant 66-39 lead at the 11:26 mark. With the Patriots ahead by nearly 30 points, Mount Olive made a perfect six-of-six from the field as part of a 14-6 rally to cut the deficit to 75-54. The Trojans eventually closed the gap to 12 points following a 19-9 run, led by Dunton with eight points to trail 86-73 with 2:09 left. Francis Marion converted its free throws in the final minute to secure the win, 89-77.
Mount Olive finished the contest shooting 26-of-63 (41.3 percent) from the floor while converting 82.6 percent (19-of-23) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Francis Marion posted a .476 field goal percentage (30-of-63) and made 7-of-21 (33.3 percent) from three-point range. The Patriots finished with a 48-25 rebounding advantage while scoring 22 second-chance points. The Trojans totaled 32 points in the paint and 34 points off the bench.
Fifth-year Bryce Beamer recorded 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting while adding four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 27 minutes. Freshman Horaces Jacques Jr. contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 32 minutes. Junior Ibrahim Wattara posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.
Mount Olive returns to Conference Carolinas action on Saturday, Feb. 10, when it travels to face Lees-McRae with tip-off set for 5 p.m.
