MILLEDGEVILLE, GA. - Forward Cassie Miliner scored a career-high 18 points to help Georgia College & State University overcome a horrendous shooting night and claim a 60-51 victory over Francis Marion University, Saturday night (Feb. 11) in Peach Belt Conference women's action.
GC&SU (13-10, 8-8) shot only 28 percent (18-65) from the floor, including 1-of-11 from three-point range, but Francis Marion (9-12, 7-8) also struggled, hitting only 31 percent (17-55) from the floor and 17 percent (2-12) from behind the arc.
FMU sophomore forward Shonelle Downer continued her strong play as of late with a 12-point, eight-rebound, three-block performance. Guard Renee Guilliams finished with 10 points, all in the opening half. The Patriots continued to lead the conference in blocked shots, swatting 11 Lady Bobcat attempts.
Patriot leading scorer Danielle Moore was held to eight points on three-of-10 shooting. However, the senior forward moved up two spots on the FMU career scoring list to 18th with 1,164 points, passing LaRue Fields (1,158) and Cherita Linton (1,162).
GC&SU got off to a good start by opening the game on 14-0 run, holding Francis Marion scoreless for the first seven minutes, before Renee Guilliams finally got the Patriots on the board with a three-pointer. FMU responded with a 12-2 spurt to get back into the contest and trailed by only 23-19 with 4:53 to play before halftime. GC&SU closed the first stanza with a 12-3 run to take a 35-22 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Bobcats forced 20 FMU turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, and 26 for the game. Those 26 miscues were converted into 24 GC&SU points.
The Patriots cut the deficit down to single digits several times in the second half, while the Lady Bobcats continued to struggle with their shooting. A layup by Downer trimmed the margin to 50-46 with 3:51 remaining, but GC&SU's LaWanna Leon answered with four straight points and the Lady Bobcats hit six of eight free throws in the final 1:20 to hold off the Patriots.
Francis Marion plays at USC Aiken, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
2/11/06 5:30 p.m. at Centennial Center - Milledgeville, Ga.
GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIV. 60, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 51
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (9-12 , 7-8 PBC)
Downer, Shonelle 4-10 4-6 12; Guilliams, Renee 3-10 2-2 10; Moore, Danielle
3-10 2-2 8; Marsh, Kirby 2-5 3-4 7; Kiefer, Katherine 2-5 1-1 5; Mack,
Shavone 2-7 0-2 4; Young, Brittany 1-7 2-3 4; Preal, Shaketa 0-0 1-2 1;
Gandy-Miller, Sienna 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-55 15-22 51.
GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIV. (13-10 , 8-8 PBC)
Miliner, Cassie 4-11 10-11 18; Smith, Lindsey 4-9 4-5 13; Leon, LaWanna 1-10
7-8 9; Dawson, Shanice 3-6 1-2 7; Williams, Ashley 3-12 0-0 6; Brantley,
Tiauna 2-6 0-0 4; Royster, Christina 1-2 0-0 2; Chapman, Savanna 0-5 1-2 1;
Powers, Jessica 0-0 0-0 0; Lomax, Amanda 0-4 0-0 0; Holsendolph, Brandy 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 18-65 23-28 60.
Halftime-GC&SU 35 Francis Marion 22.
3-point goals-Francis Marion University 2-12 (Guilliams, Renee 2-7; Moore,
Danielle 0-1; Marsh, Kirby 0-1; Kiefer, Katherine 0-1; Young, Brittany 0-2),
Georgia College & State Univ. 1-11 (Smith, Lindsey 1-1; Dawson, Shanice 0-1;
Williams, Ashley 0-3; Chapman, Savanna 0-2; Lomax, Amanda 0-3; Miliner,
Cassie 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion University-Young, Brittany, Georgia
College & State Univ.-Williams, Ashley. Rebounds-Francis Marion University
43 (Mack, Shavone 10), Georgia College & State Univ. 49 (Miliner, Cassie 9).
Assists-Francis Marion University 10 (Moore, Danielle 3; Mack, Shavone 3),
Georgia College & State Univ. 9 (Smith, Lindsey 4). Total fouls-Francis
Marion University 19, Georgia College & State Univ. 20. A-367
