Box Score

PEMBROKE, N.C. – Mike Robinson led five players in double figures with 13 points as UNC Pembroke held on to defeat a resilient Flagler College team 76-71 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Sunday afternoon at the English E. Jones Center.

UNCP won its third game in a row and improved to 17-10 overall and 11-6 in the Peach Belt. Flagler fell to 9-16 overall and 2-15 in conference play.

Nathan Priest added 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks for the Braves while Shahmel Brackett supplied 11 points and K.J. Cooper came off the bench to score 11 points and grab eight rebounds. George Blakeney chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.

The Braves made 13-of-its-18 free throws.

Ante Gospic (Zadar, Croatia, Polk State College) scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field for the Saints. Addison Smith (West Palm Beach, Fla., College of Central Florida) added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Matt Clark chipped in with 14 points and sank four 3-pointers. Chad July (Fort White, Fla., Bridgton (Maine) Academy) tacked on 10 points.

Flagler trailed by as many as 15 (29-14) points in the first half, but was able to rally and tie the score at 39-all at the half.

A Gospic layup gave the Saints their largest lead (52-47) with 14:21 left in regulation. But Brackett 3-pointer knotted the game at 52, and Priest sank a 5-foot jumper to give the Braves the lead for good, 54-52.

Flagler will conclude the season on Saturday (Feb. 25) at home against USC Aiken. The game will be at 3:30 p.m. with “Senior Day” festivities to precede the contest.

Flagler vs UNCP
02/19/12 3:30 p.m. at Pembroke, N.C. (English E. Jones Ctr.)
At Pembroke, N.C. (English E. Jones Ctr.)

UNCP 76, FLAGLER 71

FLAGLER (9-16, 2-15 PBC)
Ante Gospic 8-12 4-5 20; Addison Smith 7-11 0-1 16; Matt Clark 5-12 0-0 14;
Chad July 4-7 2-2 10; Justin Stokes 3-6 0-0 6; Desmond Gibson 1-2 0-0 3;
Jarrod Branco 1-3 0-0 2; Jordan Warner 0-3 0-0 0; Elijah Hayes 0-2 0-0 0;
Ryan Barnes 0-6 0-0 0. Totals 29-64 6-8 71.

UNCP (17-10, 11-6 PBC)
Mike Robinson 5-8 3-5 13; Nathan Priest 6-10 0-0 12; K.J. Cooper 4-10 2-3
11; Shahmel Brackett 4-10 0-0 11; George Blakeney 3-4 4-6 10; Marcus Heath
2-11 4-4 9; Griffin Pittman 2-4 0-0 5; Miguel Starkey 1-4 0-0 3; Ben Jacobs
1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-63 13-18 76.

Flagler.......................   39   32  -   71
UNCP..........................   39   37  -   76

3-point goals--Flagler 7-23 (Matt Clark 4-10; Addison Smith 2-2; Desmond
Gibson 1-2; Jarrod Branco 0-1; Elijah Hayes 0-1; Ryan Barnes 0-6; Ante
Gospic 0-1), UNCP 7-20 (Shahmel Brackett 3-7; Miguel Starkey 1-2; Griffin
Pittman 1-2; Marcus Heath 1-5; K.J. Cooper 1-4). Fouled out--Flagler-None,
UNCP-None. Rebounds--Flagler 34 (Addison Smith 5), UNCP 40 (K.J. Cooper 8).
Assists--Flagler 17 (Elijah Hayes 4; Addison Smith 4), UNCP 18 (Griffin
Pittman 6; Marcus Heath 6). Total fouls--Flagler 15, UNCP 8. Technical
fouls--Flagler-None, UNCP-None. A-1489