AMERICUS, Ga. — Georgia Southwestern set the tone early and never looked back Saturday afternoon, using a dominant defensive effort to cruise past Francis Marion University, 77-59, inside the Storm Dome. The win snaps a two-game skid for the Hurricanes, who improve to 7-3, while holding the Patriots to just 37.5 percent shooting.
Defense was the difference. GSW piled up a season-high 10 blocks, tying for the eighth-most in an NCAA Division II game this season, just four shy of the current leader.
Fast Start Fuels the Hurricanes
GSW wasted little time asserting control, jumping out to a 20-8 lead behind transition buckets and strong interior play. The Hurricanes shot a blistering 63 percent in the first half and turned defensive stops into easy offense, pushing the margin to double digits before the first media timeout.
A late first-half surge — highlighted by threes from
JR Jacobs and
Keshawn Brown Jr. — stretched the lead to 42-22 at the break.
Williams Anchors the Defense, Leads the Way
Senior
Deonte Williams was everywhere, finishing with 19 points, five steals, and four blocks to go along with five rebounds. He helped spark the Hurricanes' transition attack while anchoring a defense that consistently erased Francis Marion looks at the rim.
GSW finished with 10 blocks from five different players, led by Williams (4),
Matthew Webster (3), and
Faustin Phanor (2).
Balance Keeps Control After the Break
Francis Marion showed life early in the second half, trimming the deficit to eight, but every push was answered. Brown Jr. knocked down a pair of threes,
Markel Freeman and
Amir Reaves attacked downhill, and
Rafael Rubel orchestrated the offense with six assists.
Brown Jr. finished with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc, while Freeman, Reaves, and Rubel each added 10 points as GSW placed six players in double figures or within one bucket.
Storm Dome Defense Shuts the Door
GSW continued to protect the paint and pressure passing lanes down the stretch, holding the Patriots to 16.7 percent shooting from three (3-of-18). The Hurricanes also forced 17 turnovers, turning them into 22 fast-break points and maintaining a comfortable cushion throughout the final eight minutes.
The victory marked GSW's first home meeting with Francis Marion since 2020 and avenged back-to-back losses to the former Peach Belt Conference foe in Florence, S.C.
Next Up
The Hurricanes return to PBC play on Wednesday in the Storm Dome at 7:45 p.m. against Clayton State University.
