Irmo’s Detrek Browning scores 31 in Francis Marion Win Monday

FLORENCE, SC – Senior guard Detrek Browning and junior forward Brandon Parker combined for 51 points to power Francis Marion University to a 101-84 win over Young Harris College, Monday night (Feb. 12) in Peach Belt Conference men’s basketball action.

The Patriots (16-7, 11-7) win for the third straight outing and the sixth time in the past seven games.  FMU also gains sole possession of third place in the conference by virtue of an Augusta University loss on Monday.  Francis Marion hosts Augusta on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Browning scored a game-high 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-5 from behind the three-point arc.  It was the Columbia, S.C., native’s sixth 30-point game of the season, one shy of the school record of seven set by Bobby Shaw during the 1975-76 season.  Browning also pushed his school-record career point total to 2,201.

Parker tallied 20 points, including 6-of-12 shooting from three-point range, and handed out five assists.  Junior forward Ryan Davis added 12 points off the FMU bench and senior center Judah Alexander chipped in 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting.  Senior forward Warren Specht scored nine points and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.

Junior forward Nicksen Blanc led Young Harris (7-17, 6-12) with 18 points and seven rebounds, while senior forward Corey Nelson added 15 points and seven boards.

FMU trailed only briefly in the opening minutes and took the lead for good at 6-4 on a fast-break lay-up by Browning. The Patriots led by only four at 31-27 at the 7:57 mark of the first half, when junior forward Victor Hunt scored on a fast-break lay-in to spark an 8-0 run.

The Patriots would lead by as many as 14 in the opening stanza before settling for a 51-39 advantage at intermission.

The Mountain Lions pulled to within 65-58 after an inside hoop by Blanc with 13:31 remaining.  The margin was nine (74-65) at the midway point of the second half, but Francis Marion ran off nine straight points – including back-to-back three-pointers by Parker – to open an insurmountable 18-point lead (83-65).  FM shot a sizzling 61.3 percent (19-of-31) over the final 20 minutes.

For the game, Francis Marion connected on 57.6 percent of its field goal attempts, including 13-of-28 from behind the three-point arc, and FMU made 12-of-14 free throws.  Young Harris shot 50 percent from the floor, was 12-of-25 from long range, and connected on 10-of-15 free throws.

FMU held a 36-26 rebounding advantage and the Patriots committed only 11 turnovers.