FLORENCE, SC – Junior point guard Kevina Ransom scored 17 to pace six Francis Marion University players in double figures as the Patriots rolled past 23rd-ranked USC Aiken 89-66, Wednesday night (Jan. 9) in Peach Belt Conference women’s action.
FMU improved to 10-1 overall, the best start since the 1998-99 squad opened 26-1, and improved to 3-1 in the Peach Belt. The victory also snapped a 14-game losing string to nationally ranked opponents.
Ransom handed out six assists and nearly equaled her nation-leading steals average with five. She has recorded 29 steals in the past four games.
Other double-digit scorers for FMU included junior Jennifer Dyer 15, freshman Shannon Singleton-Bates 13, junior Creshenda Singletary 12, junior Ebony Allen 12, and senior Brittany Young 11. Singletary also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Senior Avonte Williams came off the USCA bench to score a career-high 27 points and grab 10 rebounds. She hit 7-of-11 field goal attempts and 12 of 14 free throws in only 26 minutes of action. Junior forward Morgan Johnson tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Pacers (8-3, 2-3), while guard Megan Starnes added 10 points.
After leading for much of the opening stanza, a late 16-4 run allowed Francis Marion to secure a 45-34 halftime advantage. In the second half, USCA rallied to trim the margin to 51-49 on a fast-break layup by Johnson with 13:13 left. Consecutive three-pointers by Dyer and Ransom kick-started a 21-8 Patriot spurt that put FMU up 72-57 with seven minutes remaining. Dyer scored eight of her points during that span.
The final margin was the largest of the game as Francis Marion scored the final nine points.
Once again the full-court pressure defense of the Patriots paid dividends. FMU converted 43 USCA miscues into 43 points. Francis Marion has forced its last four opponents into 176 turnovers.
The Patriots also excelled at the free throw stripe converting a season-high 28 of 34 attempts.
Francis Marion will not play again until the Patriots travel up Interstate 95 to face UNC Pembroke next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. USCA plays host to Georgia Southwestern State University on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
1-9-08 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 89, USC AIKEN 66
USC AIKEN (#23 8-3 , 2-3)
Williams, Avonte 7-11 12-14 27; Johnson, Morgan 4-8 4-4 12; Starnes, Megan
4-7 1-1 10; Legg, Meredith 3-9 2-2 8; Thomas, Jordon 2-5 1-4 5; Leppanen,
Satu 1-2 0-0 2; Pinkney, Nakia 1-2 0-1 2; Crapps, Cameron 0-0 0-0 0; Meyer,
Sarah 0-0 0-0 0; Broadwater, LaToshia 0-1 0-1 0; Norman, Marissa 0-0 0-0 0;
Disney, Megan 0-0 0-0 0; Harris, Triahna 0-2 0-2 0. Totals 22-47 20-29 66.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (10-1 , 3-1 PBC)
Ransom, Kevina 4-12 8-8 17; Dyer, Jennifer 6-13 0-1 15; Singleton-Bates, Sha
5-6 3-3 13; Singletary,Creshenda 3-9 6-9 12; Allen, Ebony 4-6 4-4 12; Young,
Brittany 3-7 4-4 11; Dixon, Yasmean 2-2 2-3 6; Grayson, Rita 1-3 1-2 3;
Ruff, Evelyn 0-2 0-0 0; Morgan, Shaquana 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 28-63 28-34 89.
Halftime: Francis Marion 45 USC Aiken 34
3-point goals-USC Aiken 2-5 (Williams, Avonte 1-1; Starnes, Megan 1-1; Legg,
Meredith 0-2; Thomas, Jordon 0-1), Francis Marion University 5-12 (Dyer,
Jennifer 3-7; Young, Brittany 1-1; Ransom, Kevina 1-2; Singletary,Creshenda
0-1; Singleton-Bates, Sha 0-1). Fouled out--USC Aiken-Thomas, Jordon,
Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds-USC Aiken 40 (Johnson, Morgan 11),
Francis Marion University 29 (Singletary,Creshenda 9). Assists-USC Aiken 15
(Johnson, Morgan 6), Francis Marion University 23 (Ransom, Kevina 6). Total
fouls-USC Aiken 28, Francis Marion University 23. A-1035
Men's Sports
