FLORENCE, SC – Junior guard Kevina Ransom’s career-high 13 assists and her last-minute basket aided 22nd-ranked Francis Marion University as the Patriots overcame Armstrong Atlantic State University 73-69, Monday evening (Feb. 4) in Peach Belt Conference women’s basketball action.
The nail-biting performance marks the third consecutive come-from-behind win for the Patriots, who are now 16-2 overall and remain No. 1 in the PBC with a 9-2 record. AASU falls to 11-8 and 5-7.
FMU senior guard Brittany Young’s fourth assist in the second half, in what was the Patriots’ lowest-scoring game of the season, made her one of only four Patriots in FMU history to reach 1,000 points and 500 assists.
Juniors Creshenda Singletary and Jennifer Dyer led the Patriots in scoring, tallying 17 and 14 points respectively. Freshman Shannon Singleton-Bates was close behind with 13 points. Singletary also hauled down a team-high eight rebounds.
The Patriots struggled to connect during the first seven minutes of the game while AASU outscored them 12-4. However, with 11:49 left in the half, Ransom made a behind-the-back assist to Singletary, whose layup put the Patriots within one at 12-11. Thirty-two seconds later, Ransom came up with a steal and her lay-in put FMU up 13-12.
Although the Patriots led by seven at 26-19, AASU rallied to claim 41-35 halftime advantage.
Following the break, the Patriots left the locker room and quickly took the lead with a 10-0 run to open the second stanza. The Pirates stayed close, and took a three-point lead (52-49) on a bucket by junior forward Lacey Willis at the 12:14 mark. Willis had a team-high 22 points, while forward Kaneetha Gordon tallied 18 points and 19 rebounds.
FMU answered with a 7-0 spurt, but AASU took a 59-58 advantage on a free throw by Kelly Versluis with 7:38 left. With the score tied at 62-62 and five minutes remaining, Francis Marion used a 7-1 spurt to take the lead for good. Singleton-Bates and Singletary combined for all seven points.
Ransom’s basket with 44 ticks left gave FMU a 71-65 cushion, but the Patriot needed two free throws by Dyer with :05 on the clock to secure the win.
AASU used a 25-9 advantage at the foul line to stay close, but FMU scored 23 points off 25 Lady Pirate turnovers.
Francis Marion plays at USC Aiken on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., while AASU plays host to Georgia Southwestern State University the same evening at 5:30 p.m.
2-4-08 5:30 p.m. at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
#22 FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 73, ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC STATE UNIV. 69
ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC STATE UNIV. (11-8 , 5-7 PBC)
Willis, Lacey 8-16 6-12 22; Gordon, Kaneetha 4-9 10-16 18; Lieneman, Lindsay
2-7 3-3 9; Versluis, Kelly 2-8 3-3 7; Thomas, Dartayvia 2-5 1-2 5; Herron,
Jasmine 2-8 0-0 4; Griffin, Alandris 1-5 2-4 4; Holmes, Lindsey 0-3 0-0 0.
Totals 21-61 25-40 69.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (#22 16-2 , 9-2)
Singletary,Creshenda 6-17 4-6 17; Dyer, Jennifer 6-11 2-2 14;
Singleton-Bates, Sha 5-9 3-4 13; Grayson, Rita 3-7 0-0 7; Young, Brittany
3-12 0-1 6; Allen, Ebony 3-5 0-1 6; Ransom, Kevina 2-7 0-0 4; Dixon, Yasmean
2-7 0-0 4; Ruff, Evelyn 1-3 0-0 2; Marsh, Kirby 0-3 0-0 0; Morgan, Shaquana
0-4 0-2 0. Totals 31-85 9-16 73.
Halftime: Armstrong Atlantic State 41 Francis Marion 35.
3-point goals-Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 2-9 (Lieneman, Lindsay 2-6;
Holmes, Lindsey 0-3), Francis Marion University 2-17 (Singletary,Creshenda
1-4; Grayson, Rita 1-3; Young, Brittany 0-6; Marsh, Kirby 0-2; Morgan,
Shaquana 0-1; Dyer, Jennifer 0-1). Fouled out--Armstrong Atlantic State
Univ.-None, Francis Marion University-Young, Brittany; Singleton-Bates, Sha;
Allen, Ebony. Rebounds-Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 55 (Gordon, Kaneetha
19), Francis Marion University 49 (Singletary,Creshenda 8).
Assists-Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 9 (Herron, Jasmine 5), Francis Marion
University 22 (Ransom, Kevina 13). Total fouls-Armstrong Atlantic State
Univ. 17, Francis Marion University 28. A-675
Charges drawn: Ransom, Singletary 2, Thomas 2
