FMU Men double-up UPR-Mayaguez 82-41 in opener

MELBOURNE, FL - Sophomore 6-9 center Andrew Smith paced a balanced Francis Marion University scoring attack with 10 points as the Patriots cruised to an 82-41 doubling up of the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Sunday afternoon (Nov. 15) in men's college basketball action.

Leading 30-14 with 4:20 left in the first half, Francis Marion (1-0) scored the final 18 points of the stanza to carry a 48-14 advantage into the locker room.  FMU scored the first two baskets of the second half to complete a 22-0 run.

A three-pointer by reserve guard Mark Sinkler gave Francis Marion its largest lead of the day, 80-37 with 1:40 remaining.  The 41-point margin of victory was the second largest season-opening win in team history, trailing only a 110-57 victory over Claflin College on Nov. 18, 1983.

Following Smith were four Patriots with nine points: senior guard Herman Mains, senior guard Kendrick Robinson, junior guard Edward Gullatte, and junior forward David Turner.  Junior swingman Simel Boyd added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds.  Turner hauled down eight rebounds as the Patriots held a commanding 53-32 advantage on the glass.

Sophomore 6-0 guard Johnny Batista led UPR-Mayaguez with eight points and five rebounds.

FMU held UPR-Mayaguez to 25 percent shooting from the floor, 13-of-52.  Francis Marion connected on 47.1 percent of its shots, including 6-of-18 three-point attempts, while hitting 10-of-15 shots at the foul line.

The Patriots will play the University of Puerto-Rico-Rio Piedras on Monday at 5 p.m. to conclude its action in the Florida Tech Tip-off Classic.

11-15-09 2:35 p.m. at Melbourne, Fla. - Clemente Center
FRANCIS MARION 82, UPR-MAYAGUEZ 41
UPR-MAYAGUEZ (0-1)
BATISTA, Johnny 2-7 3-6 8; RAMOS, Juan 2-5 2-3 6; GUILLERMO, Molano 2-7 1-2
5; PADILLA, Esteban 1-2 2-4 4; ARIAS, Carlos 2-4 0-0 4; MORA, Jesus 1-10 2-2
4; NEGRON, Ivan 1-5 1-4 3; SANTIAGO, Octavio 1-3 0-2 3; LAMELA, Alfredo 0-4
2-2 2; GARCIA, Luis 1-5 0-0 2; MORGAN, Arnold 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-52 13-25 41.
FRANCIS MARION (1-0)
Smith, Andrew 3-10 4-6 10; Turner, David 4-10 0-0 9; Gullatte, Edward 4-4
0-0 9; Mains, Herman 3-4 3-4 9; Robinson, Kendrick 4-7 0-0 9; Peterson, Andy
3-5 1-1 7; Boyd, Simel 3-9 0-0 7; Petreikis, Mindaugas 2-4 2-4 6; Faulkner,
Robert 3-4 0-0 6; Anderson, Kaylan 2-5 0-0 5; Sinkler, Mark 1-4 0-0 3;
Julious, Bryant 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 33-70 10-15 82.
Halftime: Francis Marion 48 UPR-Mayaguez 14
3-point goals--UPR-Mayaguez 2-11 (BATISTA, Johnny 1-4; SANTIAGO, Octavio
1-1; MORA, Jesus 0-3; NEGRON, Ivan 0-1; LAMELA, Alfredo 0-1; RAMOS, Juan
0-1), Francis Marion 6-18 (Gullatte, Edward 1-1; Sinkler, Mark 1-3;
Anderson, Kaylan 1-4; Robinson, Kendrick 1-4; Turner, David 1-2; Boyd, Simel
1-2; Julious, Bryant 0-1; Smith, Andrew 0-1). Fouled out--UPR-Mayaguez-None,
Francis Marion-None. Rebounds--UPR-Mayaguez 32 (BATISTA, Johnny 5; ARIAS,
Carlos 5), Francis Marion 53 (Boyd, Simel 9). Assists--UPR-Mayaguez 6
(GUILLERMO, Molano 2), Francis Marion 8 (Mains, Herman 4). Total
fouls--UPR-Mayaguez 15, Francis Marion 22. Technical fouls--None. A-100