Patriots dump Gamecocks 87-75

MELBOURNE, FL - Junior forward Robert Faulkner came off the bench to score 22 points and grab 10 rebounds to lead Francis Marion University to an 87-75 win over the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, Monday evening (Nov. 16) on the second day of the Florida Tech Men's Basketball Tip-Off Classic.

The Patriots, who improve to 2-0, connected on 59 percent of their field goal attempts in the opening half and led 51-41 at halftime.  The lead would grow to 81-61 following a free throw by guard Herman Mains with 5:27 remaining.  UPR-Rio Piedras scored 10 of the game's final 13 points to trim the margin to 12. 

Faulkner hit on 10 of 15 shots from the floor.  Junior swingman Simel Boyd added 17 points, while Kaylan Anderson chipped in 13, including 3-of-3 from beyond the three-point arc.  Junior 6-7 forward David Turner added eight points while hauling down a career-high 15 rebounds.

The Gamecocks (0-2) were led by guard Johan Rivera with 23 points and forward Angel Acevedo with 22 points and five rebounds.  Rivera hit 13 of 15 free throws as UPR-Rio Piedras hit 33 of 42 free throw attempts for the game. 

Francis Marion however countered with its inside game, holding a 52-16 advantage in points-in-the-paint.  FMU also owned a 45-32 rebounding advantage.

FMU will open its home slate against Carver Bible College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "RIOT at the Rim Night" sponsored by Chick-fil-A and Sodexho.

11-16-09 5 p.m. at Clemente Center (Melbourne, Fla.)
FRANCIS MARION 87, UPR-RIO PIEDRAS 75
UPR-RIO PIEDRAS (0-2)
RIVERA, Johan 4-12 13-15 23; ACEVEDO, Angel 6-17 7-8 22; SANTIAGO, Jeffry
1-7 9-13 11; DONES, Jafet 2-4 3-4 7; VARGAS, Fernando 1-4 1-2 4; MINAYA,
Pedro 2-4 0-0 4; VAZQUEZ, Roberto 1-1 0-0 2; LOPEZ, Hiram 1-3 0-0 2; LOPEZ,
Jose 0-0 0-0 0; CABRERA, Marcos 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-53 33-42 75.
FRANCIS MARION (2-0)
Faulkner, Robert 10-15 2-2 22; Boyd, Simel 7-10 2-5 17; Anderson, Kaylan 5-7
0-0 13; Turner, David 4-11 0-0 8; Robinson, Kendrick 3-9 0-0 7; Gullatte,
Edward 2-3 0-0 5; Petreikis, Mindaugas 1-1 1-2 3; Smith, Andrew 1-1 1-2 3;
Julious, Bryant 1-3 0-0 3; Peterson, Andy 1-3 1-1 3; Mains, Herman 1-4 1-2
3. Totals 36-67 8-14 87.
Halftime: Francis Marion 51 UPR-Rio Piedras 41.
3-point goals--UPR-Rio Piedras 6-18 (ACEVEDO, Angel 3-9; RIVERA, Johan 2-5;
VARGAS, Fernando 1-2; DONES, Jafet 0-1; SANTIAGO, Jeffry 0-1), Francis
Marion 7-18 (Anderson, Kaylan 3-3; Julious, Bryant 1-3; Boyd, Simel 1-3;
Gullatte, Edward 1-2; Robinson, Kendrick 1-4; Mains, Herman 0-2; Turner,
David 0-1). Fouled out--UPR-Rio Piedras-None, Francis Marion-Anderson,
Kaylan; Petreikis, Mindaugas. Rebounds--UPR-Rio Piedras 32 (MINAYA, Pedro 5;
ACEVEDO, Angel 5), Francis Marion 45 (Turner, David 15). Assists--UPR-Rio
Piedras 9 (RIVERA, Johan 4), Francis Marion 14 (Gullatte, Edward 2;
Robinson, Kendrick 2; Anderson, Kaylan 2; Boyd, Simel 2). Total
fouls--UPR-Rio Piedras 18, Francis Marion 32. Technical fouls--None. A-75