First-Place Flame Top Patriots

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., Dec. 30 -- Fayetteville allowed Florida to score the six of the first seven points of the game, and were never able to recover, falling 109-95 on Friday. The loss was the Patriots' eighth in a row, leaving the Patriots with a 2-10 record. Florida improves to a league-leading 9-3.

"Tonight was disappointing because we didn't play hard until the second half," said Patriots head coach Mike Brown. "All season we've been a team that starts strong and has trouble finishing, but not tonight. But that's the way it is. You think you have one thing covered and another problem opens up."

Sparking the Flame to a 26-15 lead was Bracey Wright, who scored 10 first-quarter points. By halftime, center Theron Smith had compiled 16 points, earning them in the paint and at the free throw line. The Flame led by 29 at the break.

"We're normally a very good defensive team, but tonight we didn't play good team defense at all," Brown said. "We let Florida get a lot of open looks and we gave them a lot of turnovers. We're smarter than that. We usually like to keep teams at around 14-16 turnovers a game. Tonight, we had that in the first half alone."

The Patriots settled down in the second half period, matching the Flame basket-for-basket in the third quarter. Erik Daniels led the way, scoring 15 in the final period. Daniels finished with a game-high 31, while Kaniel Dickens added 13.

"The pro game is a game of runs," Brown said. "Teams will have runs, but you have to sustain them and you'll have your runs. Tonight it was just too much to try to come back from. The good thing is we play again tomorrow night so they have a quick chance to redeem themselves."

Smith's 26 paced the Flame, while Wright posted 21. The teams have a rematch on Saturday the 31st in Fayetteville.