FERRUM, Va. – Ferrum College's men's basketball team beat Francis Marion University in Conference Carolinas tonight at home, winning 92-79 in front of a packed house at Swartz Gym.

RECORDS
Ferrum 15-9, 13-5 CC
Francis Marion 7-18, 7-10 CC

THE BASICS
Ferrum opened a 7-0 lead early in the first half on two Alfredo Abel-Rivera baskets, one by Rodrigo Farias and a free throw by Abdulh Diaby. The Patriots rallied to take the lead, with Will Asken's free throw at 11:58 capping an 8-0 run and putting FMU in front 8-7.

Ferrum went back out in front on Farias' three pointer, then Abel-Rivera was fouled as he made a layup and converted the three-point play with a free throw to make it a 12-10 Ferrum lead at 10:17. Gerren Jones drilled a three-pointer less than two minutes later and the Ferrum lead was 16-12 at 8:36.
 
Farias made a layup with 36 seconds left in the first half to put Ferrum on top 29-20. The FMU bench was assessed a technical foul following that basket and Farias sank two more free throws to make it 31-20. Then with one second left in the half, Farias drained a three-pointer from the left side, was fouled and made the ensuing free throw to make in a 35-20 lead at the break.
 
The Panthers extended the lead to 27 points early in the second half, with Diaby's layup at  11:12 making it a 58-31 game. Clyde Mauldin and Cole Deptula had back-to-back three-pointers for Francis Marion, then Deptula made a layup, getting the score down to 61-49 with just eight minutes left to play. Mauldin's three-pointer at 5:46 got the lead down to 10 points, 67-57. Eden Davis and Diaby had back-to-back baskets to get the lead back to 15 points, 75-60 with 3:42 left in regulation and the Panthers hung on from there for the league win at home.
 
KEY STATS
Ferrum: Farias 25 pts, 15-15 FT; Jones 24 pts; Abel-Rivera 19 pts, 11 reb; Diaby 10 pts, 9 reb
FMU: Kennard Davis 21 pts; Cole Deptula 20 pts, 9 reb; Adonis Cole 10 pts

UP NEXT
Coach Patrick Corrigan's team will be back in action Saturday, February 21, at Young Harris College. The Conference Carolinas doubleheader is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. women's tip-off and the men to follow at 4:00 p.m. in Young Harris, Georgia.