FLORENCE, S.C. — It was a milestone night for the University of Mount Olive as senior guard Shane Peterson scored his 1,000th career point and helped lift the Trojans to a nail-biting 86–84 win over Francis Marion on Tuesday in their Conference Carolinas opener.
Peterson led UMO with 19 points, draining five three-pointers and pulling down nine rebounds. His historic basket came during a steady offensive performance that helped keep the Trojans in control through much of the matchup.
UMO jumped out to a double-digit lead early and carried a 45–41 advantage into halftime behind strong shooting from Peterson, Matt Kirby, and Raul Perez. Francis Marion mounted a late surge, briefly taking the lead in the final two minutes, but the Trojans responded with poise.
Kirby delivered in the clutch, scoring 15 points and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the second half—four of those coming in the final 61 seconds to seal the victory.
Perez turned in a near triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds, and a team-high eight assists. Redford Dunton added 12 points, while Shawn Wilson chipped in 11.
Despite being outscored 56–30 in the paint, UMO compensated with 11 made threes, 21 assists, and key defensive stops in the closing minute.
With Peterson’s milestone and a gritty road win behind them, the Trojans now turn their attention to their home matchup against Winston-Salem State on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
