SATURDAY: GSW 50, FRANCIS MARION 82
FLORENCE, S.C. - The Georgia Southwestern men's basketball team suffered its fourth-straight loss and its worst defeat in almost three years in an 82-50 setback at Francis Marion University on Saturday afternoon.
The Hurricanes drop to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in the Peach Belt Conference. Francis Marion won its first league game (1-5) and improves to 5-7 overall.
Baskets by Michael Tankersley and Jamon Hawkins gave GSW a 4-0 lead to open the contest. The Patriots responded with a 9-4 run to take their first lead, 9-8. Hawkins added a layup with 14:56 left in the first half to put the Hurricanes back on top for the final time of the afternoon, 10-9.
FMU proceeded to rattle off 10-consecutive points to open a 19-10 advantage.
The Hurricanes would keep the margin under 10 for most of the first half and an Alan Arnett jumper with 3:39 until the break pulled GSW within six (29-23). That's when Southwestern went cold and FMU warmed up. The Hurricanes did not score the rest of the period and behind a trio of 3-point buckets, FMU quickly extended its lead to 18 points at the half.
Behind 61.5 percent shooting in the second half, the Patriots cruised to the victory. Dustin Jones and Clayton Williams combined for 31 second-half points, which was more than the GSW team (27).
Southwestern finished the game shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded FMU, 30-26. The Patriots turned 21 GSW turnovers into 33 points. FMU committed eight turnovers which led to nine Hurricane points. FMU connected on 17 of 37 3-pointers (45.9 percent).
Hawkins led the Hurricanes with 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting. Arnett added 16 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Milos Kleut also grabbed seven boards.
Jones finished with a game-high 28 points for FMU. Williams chipped in 21 behind 7 of 11 shooting from beyond the arc.
SUNDAY: GSW 65, UNC PEMBROKE 58
PEMBROKE, N.C. - Jamon Hawkins and Alan Arnett each turned in 18-point performances to help Georgia Southwestern defeat UNC Pembroke, 65-58, Sunday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference men's basketbal action.
The Hurricanes snap a four-game skid and improve to 7-6 overall while evening their mark in the PBC at 3-3. UNCP sees their 11-game home win streak come to an end and drops to 10-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
UNCP jumped on the Hurricanes early on Sunday, opening the contest with an 11-2 run. GSW scored the next eight points to pull within one, 11-10. During GSW's run there was a four-minute scoreless stretch where the teams combined to miss 14-straight shots.
The Braves bumped their lead to seven, 17-10, before GSW answered once again. This time a 13-4 run capped by a Michael Tankersley layup with 3:48 until the break put GSW ahead 23-21. The Hurricanes led 28-26 at halftime marking the ninth time they've led at the break this season. GSW held UNCP to 26.5 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes, including 1 of 10 from beyond the arc.
The Braves grabbed their final lead of the afternoon, 31-30, with 18:14 to play.
Arnett scored six points during the ensuing 12-3 run which helped the Hurricanes pull away.
GSW led by 10 points on four different occasions before the final horn.
The Hurricanes held UNCP to a season-low 29 percent effort from the floor. It's the lowest field goal percentage posted by a GSW opponent since North Alabama shot 28.6 percent on Nov. 25, 2011.
GSW finished with a substantial 31-12 advantage in bench points.
Bench production also came in the way of rebounds as Arnett led the Hurricanes with seven boards and Tyler Gunnett added six.
For the seventh time this season (6-1 in those games), GSW shot over 50 percent from the floor in the second half.
K.J. Cooper and Quamain Rose led UNCP with 15 points apiece. Rose pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
The Hurricanes return to action on Wednesday when they host Montevallo at 7:30 p.m. in the Storm Dome.