FLORENCE, SC – Six Francis Marion University players scored in doubles figures, led by guards Brittany Young and Kevina Ransom with 12 each, as the Patriots stormed past Georgia Southwestern State University 97-62, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 5) in Peach Belt Conference women’s action.
FMU (8-1, 1-1) is off to its best overall start in 10 seasons. The Patriots reached their nation-leading 97 points per game season average, while nearly setting a school record with 35 steals. That total was five shy of the team mark set in 1988.
Juniors Ebony Allen and Creshenda Singletary each tallied 11 points for FMU, while Rita Grayson and Yasmean Dixon added 10 apiece. Dixon pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and had six steals.
Georgia Southwestern (1-9, 0-3) dropped its ninth straight game as the Hurricanes committed 50 turnovers. Reserve guard Renae Harvey paced GSW with 12 points, while senior center Brynne Callaway added 11 points and eight rebounds and sophomore forward Brittany Reynolds scored 10 points and handed out five assists.
Georgia Southwestern hit on 11 of its first 20 field goals attempts and trailed only 33-23 with 7:27 left before halftime. Francis Marion then scored 19 of the game’s next 21 points to claim a commanding 52-25 advantage. The Patriots led 56-31 at intermission.
The margin never dipped under 22 points in the final half.
Francis Marion used the Hurricane miscues to score 54 points, while also holding margins of 39-19 in fast-break points and 68-34 in points-in-the-paint.
In its last two games, FMU has forced 99 turnovers by its opponents.
Francis Marion returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 6) when the Patriots play host to Columbus State University at 2 p.m. GSW hosts Armstrong Atlantic State University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 97, GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN STATE U. 62
GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN STATE U. (1-9 , 0-3)
Harvey, Renae 4-6 3-6 12; Callaway, Brynne 3-9 4-6 11; Reynolds, Brittany
5-11 0-0 10; Udovalieva, Ivana 3-6 2-4 9; Thomas, Krystal 3-3 1-2 7; Avera,
Anna 2-4 0-0 5; Pullen, Cherelle 1-3 2-2 4; Lamb, Angela 1-5 0-0 2; Sharp,
Jamilah 1-6 0-0 2; Driggers, Candace 0-0 0-0 0; Hadley, Arile 0-1 0-0 0;
Dean, Whitney 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 12-20 62.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (8-1 , 1-1)
Young, Brittany 6-11 0-1 12; Ransom, Kevina 4-9 4-4 12; Allen, Ebony 5-8 1-2
11; Singletary,Creshenda 5-10 1-2 11; Dixon, Yasmean 4-10 2-3 10; Grayson,
Rita 4-6 2-2 10; Guilliams, Renee 3-6 0-0 9; Singleton-Bates, Sha 4-11 0-0
8; Ruff, Evelyn 2-5 0-0 4; Morgan, Shaquana 1-1 2-4 4; Dyer, Jennifer 2-5
0-0 4; Downer, Shonelle 1-2 0-0 2; Kiefer, Katherine 0-2 0-0 0; Marsh, Kirby
0-1 0-0 0; Abed, Ashley 0-0 0-0 0; Mack, Shavone 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 41-88
12-18 97.
Halftime: Francis Marion 56 Georgia Southwestern State 31.
3-point goals-Georgia Southwestern State U. 4-7 (Callaway, Brynne 1-1;
Udovalieva, Ivana 1-2; Harvey, Renae 1-1; Avera, Anna 1-1; Lamb, Angela 0-1;
Pullen, Cherelle 0-1), Francis Marion University 3-15 (Guilliams, Renee 3-6;
Singletary,Creshenda 0-2; Singleton-Bates, Sha 0-1; Dyer, Jennifer 0-3;
Kiefer, Katherine 0-1; Young, Brittany 0-2). Fouled out--Georgia
Southwestern State U.-None, Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds-Georgia
Southwestern State U. 40 (Callaway, Brynne 8; Sharp, Jamilah 8), Francis
Marion University 46 (Dixon, Yasmean 8). Assists-Georgia Southwestern State
U. 14 (Reynolds, Brittany 5), Francis Marion University 25 (Ransom, Kevina
5). Total fouls-Georgia Southwestern State U. 17, Francis Marion University
17. A-425
Men's Sports
