FLORENCE, S.C. - Sophomore Renee Guilliams and freshman Katherine Kiefer combined for 25 points off a depleted Francis Marion University bench to help the Patriots to a 57-56 Peach Belt Conference victory over Augusta State University, Wednesday night (Jan. 18) in women's basketball action.
FMU captured its fourth straight PBC win, a first since the 2001-02 season, to improve to 5-2 in the conference and 7-6 overall. ASU falls to 6-10 overall and 1-6 in the Peach Belt.
Guilliams, who scored a career-high 21points on Saturday at Columbus State University, recorded her second-best career effort against the Lady Jaguars with 18 points, including four three-point field goals. Kiefer added seven points as the Patriots again only dressed eight players. Sophomore point guard Brittany Young added 14 points, on six of eight shooting, and four ssists. Sophomore 6-4 center Shavone Mack only tallied one basket, but grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked two shots.
Senior Eva Vodrazkova led Augusta State with 15 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks, while junior guard Lauren DeCoud added 12 points.
Leading only 23-21 in the first half, Francis Marion used a 10-3 spurt to go ahead 33-24 following a Guilliams’ three-pointer with 3:34 left before halftime. The Patriots owned a 34-27 advantage at intermission.
The lead grew to 39-29 early in the second stanza, before ASU responded with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 41-39 with 14:40 remaining. The Patriots pushed the margin back to eight points on two occasions before the Lady Jaguars again rallied. Two free throws by Vodrazkova with 4:10 left cut the deficit to 50-49.
FMU then scored five straight points to go up 55-49 with less than two minutes on the clock. Two free throws by Kiefer with 25 ticks left gave FMU a 57-51 lead. DeCoud drained two charity tosses with 15 seconds left to bring the Lady Jaguars to within 57-53. Following two Kiefer misses at the line, a three-pointer by Alena Batovska with one second remaining cut the margin to 57-56. However, the Patriots quickly inbounded the ball and the horn sounded.
FMU plays at 21st-ranked Clayton State University, Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Morrow, Ga., while ASU plays host to USC Upstate on the same day at 5:30 p.m.
1-18-06 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 57, AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY 56
AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY (6-10, 1-6 PBC)
Vodrazkova, Eva 6-11 2-2 15; DeCoud, Lauren 4-10 3-3 12; Batovska, Alena 3-7 0-0 9;
Turner, Tamala 2-10 2-3 6; Wyatt, Jamica 2-7 1-1 5; Thompson, Riley 1-1 0-0 3; Robbins,
Julie 1-4 0-0 2; Jackson, Sonya 1-2 0-1 2; Paschal, Tracey 1-5 0-0 2; Simpson, Doesshe
0-0 0-1 0; Paschal, Tiffany 0-1 0-0 0; Ford, Shirrell 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-60 8-11 56.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (7-6, 5-2 PBC)
Guilliams, Renee 7-11 0-0 18; Young, Brittany 6-8 0-1 14; Kiefer, Katherine 1-5 4-8 7;
Moore, Danielle 3-10 1-2 7; Marsh, Kirby 1-1 2-2 5; Downer, Shonelle 2-3 0-0 4; Mack,
Shavone 1-6 0-0 2; Preal, Shaketa 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-44 7-13 57.
Halftime-Francis Marion 34 Augusta State 27.
3-point goals-Augusta State 6-12 (Batovska 3-6; DeCoud 1-2; Thompson 1-1; Vodrazkova 1-2;
Robbins 0-1), Francis Marion 8-15 (Guilliams 4-8; Young 2-2; Kiefer 1-2; Marsh 1-1; Moore 0-2).
Fouled out--None. Rebounds-Augusta State 35 (Vodrazkova 8), Francis Marion 31 (Mack 10).
Assists-Augusta State 14 (Ford 3; Batovska 3), Francis Marion 13 (Young 4; Mack 4). Total
fouls-Augusta State 13, Francis Marion 11. A-214.
