Box Score FLORENCE, SC – Emmanuel University used an early 28-2 run to grab an 87-70 win over Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion will play at Shorter University on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in Rome, Ga. 
 
Freshman center Alex Atkinson came off the FMU bench to lead the Patriots with 24 points, while junior guard Jordan Simpson scored 15.
 
Senior guard Chris Dees led Emmanuel (19-8, 17-2) with a career high  35 points, including hitting 9-of-14 shots from behind the three-point arc.  Senior Kendall Latney added 20 points.
 
Much to the delight of a Homecoming crowd of 1,327, Francis Marion scored the game's opening six points.  However, the Lions responded with a 28-2 run to go ahead 28-8 with 10:59 left in the opening half.
 
The margin was 51-32 at halftime.  A jumper by sophomore guard Horaces Jacques Jr. and a three-pointer by Simpson quickly trimmed the deficit to 51-37 early in the second stanza.  The Patriots crept to with 15 points on three later occasions, the final time at 67-52 with 11:31 left.
 
Emmanuel responded to that final rally with a 10-0 run (three hoops by Latney and two buckets by Spudd Webb) that produced a 25-point margin and sealed the outcome.

The Lions will have a quick turnaround as they finish the regular season with a road test at Belmont Abbey on Monday at 7PM. For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.