 Kevina Ransom
Ransom too high for Lady Jags as Patriot Women prevail 101-86
FLORENCE, SC – Junior reserve guard Kevina Ransom scored 16 points, dished out nine assists, and recorded seven steals to lead Francis Marion University to a 101-86 win over visiting Augusta State University, Wednesday night (Jan. 23) in Peach Belt Conference women’s basketball action.
The win marks the sixth 100-point game for FMU, the most for the Patriots since the 1987-88 campaign and solidifies the team’s ranking as the top scoring offense in NCAA Division II. The Patriots march to 12-2 overall and improve their PBC standing to 5-2, and stay within one-and-a-half games of the conference lead.
Augusta State (10-5, 4-4) christened its hoop first with an early steal and layup by sophomore guard Jasmine Godwin, but the Patriots quickly stole the lead minutes later when senior forward Rita Grayson scored the first three of her 10 points for a 10-8 FMU lead.
Ransom and Grayson were two of six Patriots scoring in the double digits. Senior guard Brittany Young and junior Creshenda Singletary each scored 17, while junior Jennifer Dyer and freshman Shannon Singleton-Bates had 11 apiece.
Young now has 981 career points and will soon become the 24th Patriot to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier. Ransom padded her nation-leading thefts total with the seven steals, five of which came during a seven-minute span midway through the final half.
The game remained fast-paced and tight for a good portion of the first half. A three-point play by Singleton-Bates set the Patriots on a 16-5 run that produced a 30-20 Patriot advantage. While the Patriots ping-ponged around the court, the Jaguars failed to keep up, turning the ball over 18 times in the opening 20 minutes.
The half ended with a jumper by sophomore forward Yasmean Dixon, assisted by Dyer, and gave the Patriots a 55-43 advantage to carry into the locker room.
Dyer opened the second half with a three-pointer and the Patriots continued to be aggressive on defense while moving the ball smoothly on offense. The margin would reach 20 points, 75-55, with 12:18 left after another three-point play by Singleton-Bates. A layup by Grayson put FMU ahead 83-62 with 9:16 remaining.
The Jaguars came within eight (94-86) with 2:39 left on the clock when freshmen guard/forward Kenisha Sheppard made a layup, capping a 24-11 ASU spurt. But Augusta State missed four free throws and three field goal attempts while not scoring again. Sheppard’s foul on Young would help FMU seal the envelope when Young made both free throws for the final 101-86 tally.
Francis Marion made a season-high 29 free throws (in 37 attempts) and forced 31 ASU turnovers that resulted in 31 Patriot points.
Guard Deo Ngulela led ASU with 16 points, while Godwin added 15 and reserve center Sherika Parker 11.
Francis Marion begins a brief two-game road trip on Saturday with a 2 p.m. match-up at Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga. ASU plays at Georgia Southwestern State University on Saturday also at 2 p.m.
1-23-08 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 101, AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY 86
AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY (10-5 , 4-4 PBC)
Ngulela, Deo 6-10 4-8 16; Godwin, Jasmine 7-13 0-0 15; Parker, Sherika 4-8
3-5 11; Jackson, Sonya 4-6 0-0 9; Paschal, Tracey 0-6 8-11 8; Sheppard,
Kenisha 2-10 4-6 8; Wells, Adah 2-3 3-4 7; White, Porsha 3-4 0-0 6; Mealing,
Nicole 2-5 0-0 5; Jarrard, Brittany 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 30-67 23-36 86.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (12-2 , 5-2 PBC)
Young, Brittany 4-11 9-13 17; Singletary,Creshenda 6-11 5-5 17; Ransom,
Kevina 5-11 6-8 16; Dyer, Jennifer 4-7 0-0 11; Singleton-Bates, Sha 4-8 3-4
11; Grayson, Rita 4-4 0-0 10; Dixon, Yasmean 2-4 4-4 8; Allen, Ebony 3-7 0-0
6; Ruff, Evelyn 1-4 0-0 3; Morgan, Shaquana 0-2 2-3 2; Marsh, Kirby 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 33-69 29-37 101.
Halftime: Francis Marion 55 Augusta State University 43.
3-point goals-Augusta State University 3-10 (Jackson, Sonya 1-2; Mealing,
Nicole 1-1; Godwin, Jasmine 1-3; Jarrard, Brittany 0-2; Paschal, Tracey 0-1;
Ngulela, Deo 0-1), Francis Marion University 6-15 (Dyer, Jennifer 3-5;
Grayson, Rita 2-2; Ruff, Evelyn 1-2; Allen, Ebony 0-1; Ransom, Kevina 0-1;
Singletary,Creshenda 0-2; Young, Brittany 0-2). Fouled out--Augusta State
University-Jackson, Sonya; White, Porsha, Francis Marion
University-Singleton-Bates, Sha. Rebounds-Augusta State University 46
(Wells, Adah 11), Francis Marion University 34 (Young, Brittany 6).
Assists-Augusta State University 19 (Jackson, Sonya 4; Ngulela, Deo 4),
Francis Marion University 24 (Ransom, Kevina 9). Total fouls-Augusta State
University 26, Francis Marion University 29. A-935
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