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FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University men’s and women’s basketball teams successfully opened their home seasons with convincing wins on the opening night of the Zaxby’s Patriot Clazzic in
Florence.

 

The Francis Marion men (1-1) placed five players in double digits and used a suffocating first-half defensive effort to claim a 79-66 victory over Coker. The Patriots outscored Coker 19-1 over the final 10 minutes of the first half to lead 32-13 at intermission.


Coker cut the margin to seven points on several occasions in the final stanza, but a 7-0 FMU spurt midway through the half helped hold off the Cobras.

 

For the second consecutive game, Francis Marion senior swingman George Walker upped his career high, this time to 19 points. 

 

Seniors Vony River and Michael Jenkins each added 13 points.  Jenkins equaled the fourth-best free throw performance by a Patriot ever, as he drained all 10 of his charity tosses.  Senior forward Michael Carter and freshman forward Akeene Coakley each set career highs with 12 points.

 

Guard Johnny Jackson paced Coker (0-1) with 34 points, 25 of which came in the second half. 
Forward Abram Ludd added 17 points.

 

COKER COLLEGE (0-1)
Jackson, Johnny 11-22 4-6 34; Ludd, Abram 6-7 5-9 17; Smyth, Tim 3-4 0-0 6;
Kearney, Darian 1-3 3-6 5; Terrell, Blake 1-5 0-0 2; Boulindas, George 0-1
1-2 1; Blythe, Jason 0-2 1-4 1; Lacayo, Sebastien 0-0 0-0 0; Hukill, Taylor
0-3 0-0 0. Totals 22-47 14-27 66.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (1-1)
Walker, George 5-9 8-10 19; Jenkins, Michael 1-7 10-10 13; Rivers, Vony 5-10
2-4 13; Coakley, Akeene 5-9 0-0 12; Carter, Michael 2-5 7-8 12; Lee, Artis
3-5 1-2 9; Dorsey, Raymond 0-5 1-4 1; Burton, Rodrick 0-0 0-0 0; Lilliston,
Courtney 0-0 0-2 0; Hamilton, Marchello 0-7 0-0 0; Peterson, Larnelle 0-1 0-0 0.
Totals 21-58 29-40 79.
Halftime: Francis Marion 32 Coker College 13.
3-point goals-Coker 8-22 (Jackson,
Johnny 8-15; Terrell, Blake 0-4; Hukill, Taylor 0-3), Francis Marion 8-25 (Lee, Artis 2-4;
Coakley, Akeene 2-4; Carter, Michael 1-3; Rivers, Vony 1-3; Walker, George 1-4;
Jenkins, Michael 1-5; Peterson, Larnelle 0-1; Dorsey, Raymond 0-1). Fouled out--Ludd, Jenkins.
Rebounds-Coker 39 (Kearney, Darian 10), Francis Marion 35 (Carter, Michael 7).
Assists-Coker 19 (Boulindas, George 8), Francis Marion 11 (Rivers, Vony 4).
Total fouls-Coker 29, Francis Marion 21. A-770