PEMBROKE – Visiting Francis Marion rallied all the way back from a 19-point deficit in the first half to tie the game with just less than six minutes to play, but the 23rd-ranked UNC Pembroke men’s basketball team used a big 3-pointer from David Strother with 77 seconds left to play to fuel a 66-60 triumph over the Patriots on Wednesday evening.
It was the 21st win in the last 22 home games for the Braves (22-5, 18-3 PBC) who can wrap up their second-straight Peach Belt Conference regular season title with a win over Flagler on Saturday in Pembroke. The setback snapped a five-game win streak for the Patriots (18-8, 13-8) who have now lost seven-straight road games in the series with the Black & Gold as well.
James Murray-Boyles scored a game-best 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting to lead the Braves who also got 13 points and seven rebounds from senior Nigel Grant. Strother finished his night with eight points, six rebounds and five assists.
Detrek Browning scored a game-best 18 points as well for Francis Marion who was held to its worst shooting night of the season (36.7 percent). Brandon Parker chipped in 14 points for the visitors as well.
An old-fashioned 3-point play from Grant gave the Braves a 42-26 advantage just 21 seconds into the second period, but Parker’s 3-pointer on the other end of the court sparked the visitors on a 17-3 run that brought them within a single possession just less than seven minutes later. Francis Marion knotted the score up on a pair of free throws from Ryan Davis with 5:50 to play, but the Patriots missed 10 of their next 11 shots to all but seal the outcome.
The Braves shot 61 percent (11-for-18) from the field through the first nine minutes of the opening half and took a 26-7 lead on a free throw from Grant at the 8:48 mark. Francis Marion trimmed its deficit down to 10 points on a running jumper by Parker with 3:41 left before the intermission, but the Black & Gold eventually carried a 39-26 lead into the locker rooms.
UNCP will continue a three-game home stand on Saturday when it battles Flagler (9-16, 6-15) in the second half of a 1:30 p.m. Senior Day doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. The Braves will honor their winningest senior class in program history – Grant, Bryson Hall and Brandon Watts – prior to tipoff.
