BRISTOL, Tenn. – In what was a tight contest for 40 minutes, the King University men's basketball team fell in another game decided on the final possession. Francis Marion University made two free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining to win a contest that saw 15 lead changes and eight ties by the score of 88-86.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Francis Marion 88, King 86
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 10-11, 7-10 Conference Carolinas; Francis Marion 9-11, 7-11 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Michael Mays got off to a hot start, scoring four points on a 6-2 Tornado run early in the first half that gave King a 15-12 lead.
- King continued to lead as a three-point basket from Darron Howard gave the Tornado a 22-17 lead midway through the period.
- The Patriots then scored 11 straight points before an Isaiah Curry layup pulled King within 28-24.
- The Tornado closed the half on a run after the Patriots opened up a 41-31 lead.
- Connor Jordan made a layup, then followed that with an assist on a Mays triple.
- Mays then beat the halftime buzzer with a turnaround triple, pulling King within 43-41 at the break.
Second Half
- Howard started the second half with a layup, evening the score before Francis Marion's Tionne Rollins heated up.
- He scored the first eight points of the half for the Patriots as the teams went back-and-forth.
- In that time, Mays bookended the run for the Tornado with a triple and a jump shot to give King a 52-49 lead.
- Brandon Lamberth and Curry came up with layups on the run for the Tornado.
- The King lead extended to 58-53 following consecutive layups from Curry.
- Six consecutive Francis Marion points gave the Patriots a 61-60 lead before King went on a run.
- Howard started the 7-0 spurt with a triple before Desmond Davis add a basket and two Mays free throws gave King their largest lead of the game at 67-61 with 11 minutes remaining.
- The Patriots fought back with a 7-2 run to pull within 69-68, with nine minutes remaining.
- The contest stayed within five points for the final nine minutes with the Tornado holding the advantage until the Patriots evened the score at 80 with three minutes remaining.
- Four straight points from Francis Marion gave the Patriots am 84-82 lead, but Lamberth answered with a basket to even the score with one minute remaining.
- Curry answered a Patriot bucket with a layup, evening the tally at 86 with 30 seconds left.
- A foul was then called with 1.3 seconds remaining as Rollins pulled up from the left elbow.
- He hit both free throws and the Tornado desperation attempt was off the mark as the Patriots took the 88-86 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mays led four Tornado scorers in double figures with 29 points.
- Lamberth followed with 13 points while Curry added 12 points and six rebounds.
- Howard chipped in 11 points and Jordan added nine points and four assists.
FOR THE FOES
- Rollins led Francis Marion with 32 points, going 8-for-14 from the floor, including 6-for-7 from long range. He also went 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
- Jonah Pierce added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
- Nick Silva posted 13 points while Jose Benitez chipped in with 11 points and six assists.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 29 points for Mays sets a career-high. His previous best of 28 was done twice, the most recent was on Wednesday at Barton College.
UP NEXT
- King kicks off a three-game road stretch next week at Southern Wesleyan University on Tuesday night. Tipoff from Central, S.C. is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
- Francis Marion hosts North Greenville University on Friday night.
