FLORENCE, S.C. -- Third–ranked Augusta State outscored Francis Marion 13-0 in the final 4:13 Saturday afternoon to stun the Patriots and register a 62-61 Peach Belt Conference victory in Smith University Center.
ASU senior guard George Johnson, who scored a game-17 points, swished a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds left to complete the comeback. Johnson and fellow senior Franck Ndongo scored the final eight points for the Jaguars, who trailed 61-49 with 4:13 remaining.
Johnson drilled a 3-pointer with 1:25 left from the left wing to cut ASU's deficit to 61-59 and Ndongo hit one of two free throws with 42 seconds left. Ndongo made his first attempt and missed on his second, which sophomore reserve forward Ben Purser rebounded to keep possession for the Jags.
Following an ASU timeout with 23 seconds to go, Ndongo's jumper was off the mark. Sophomore reserve guard Kyle Armour snagged the offensive rebound and after Johnson rebounded Armour's errant jumper with :03 remaining, he was fouled by FMU's Evrick Gary. Following a Patriot timeout, Johnson knocked down both attempts, and Gary was stripped of the ball at midcourt as he prepared to heave a half-court attempt at the final horn.
With the victory, the Jags improved to 12-1 on the season and 4-1 in the PBC. The Patriots dropped to 8-3 and 2-2, respectively. The win was the 12th straight in the series for ASU, which improved to 33-9 all-time against FMU.
Purser registered 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while fellow sophomore forward Travis Keels had 13 points. Ndongo chipped in 11 points, four boards and four steals.
Bryant Julious paced the Patriots with 13 points, Liki Turner recorded 11 points and 10 rebounds and Gary managed 11 points.
FMU shot 53 percent for the game, including 58 percent in the second half, and owned the edge in rebounding, 33-22. But the Patriots went just 13-of-24 (54.2 percent) at the charity stripe, compared to 18-of-23 for the Jags (78.3 percent).
ASU led for only 2:13 of the game and trailed 30-23 at the half. The Jags moved in front 2-0 on a pair of O'Neal Armstrong free throws 11 seconds into the game and didn't' lead again until Johnson's go-ahead free throw with two seconds left.
The contest wrapped up a stretch in which ASU played five of six games on the road, posting a 4-1 record and a 3-1 mark in league play.
The Jags, who host Armstrong Atlantic State on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m., will play six of their next seven and eight of their next 10 games in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
