FLORENCE, S.C. – Jerrell Oxendine tied his career-high with 23 points to lead Flagler College to an 83-78 win over Francis Marion University in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at the Smith University Center.

Flagler snapped a pair of streaks tonight. Gone is the five-game losing streak at Francis Marion as well as the six-game losing streak this season. The Saints even their record to 6-6 overall and go to 1-4 in the Peach Belt. The win also marks the program's 600^th win since its inception in 1973-74. Head coach Bo Clark has won 469 of those games. Francis Marion lost its fifth game in a row and fell to 7-6 overall and 0-5 in conference play.

The Saints shot a remarkable 75% (15-20) from the field in the first half and held a 50-41 lead. Flagler also drained 10 three pointers in the opening half. The Saints wouldn't stay that hot as they simmered to 50% (12-24) in the second half, but still shot a season-best 61.4% (27-44). What kept Francis Marion in the game were the 25 turnovers it caused and the 25 points it scored off those miscues.

The Saints had a 17-point lead early in the second half, but the Patriots kept chipping away and used a 13-4 run to cut the deficit to six (62-56) after a David Jerome layup with 10:34 left to go. With 6:08 left, Dii'Jon Allen-Jordan sank a pair of free throws to tie the game at 67. The Patriots took its first lead (70-69) since the 13:15 mark of the first half when Mike Davis, Jr. made the second of his two free throws with 3:54 left.

But the Patriots could only make two of their final eight shots from the field since tying the game at 69. Oxendine sank six of seven free throws with 2:42 or less remaining to provide insurance for the Saints.

The go-ahead basket was scored by Lydell Manigo when he took an outlet pass from Dennis Diaz and scored a transition layup with 3:10 to go and the Saints never trailed again.

Oxendine finished 10-of-11 from the free throw line and sank three 3-pointers to help the Saints earn their first win in conference play and Flagler's first road win since Feb. 6, 2014 at Armstrong State University, a streak of six games. Kessler Bell scored a career-high 14 points and grabbed six rebounds while Manigo tacked on 14 points. Matt Clark came off the bench to add 11 points as he sank all three 3-point attempts. Desmond Gibson grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots while Keshaun Hamilton contributed nine points and six rebounds.

Flagler out-rebounded Francis Marion 37-27.

Allen-Jordan finished with a team-high 23 points for the Patriots. Detrek Browning scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half. Jerome grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while Dustin Jones dished out a game-high five assists.

Flagler returns home to face the University of South Carolina Aiken on Saturday (Jan. 10) in a Peach Belt Conference tilt. The Pacers bested the Saints 89-73 last Monday.