SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Francis Marion University managed only three field goals in the opening 20 minutes and the Patriots never recovered from the cold start as USC Upstate cruised to an 84-45 Peach Belt Conference win, Wednesday night (Jan. 10) in women’s basketball action.
Junior point guard Brittany Young and sophomore reserve forward Katherine Kiefer each tallied 10 points to led FMU, which falls to 3-11 overall and 0-3 in the PBC. The Patriots have lost their last eight games. Young also handed out six assists.
Freshman forward Yasmean Dixon came off the Francis Marion bench to record nine points and nine rebounds in only 18 minutes of action.
Guard Kianna Smith led the Spartans (7-7, 2-1) with 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. Center Danielle Edwards added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
A free throw by FMU freshman Chelsea Quinlan gave the Patriots their only lead at 5-4 with 14:50 left in the opening half. USC Upstate scored the next nine points to start a 29-10 run to close the half. The Spartans led 33-15 at intermission, as FMU misfired on 25-of-28 field goal attempts.
In the second half , Francis Marion warmed up slightly to 30.8 percent shooting (12-of-39) from the floor, but the Spartans hit 45.7 percent, including a sizzling 9-of-13 three-point attempts over the final 20 minutes. Francis Marion ended the game only 1-of-15 from beyond the arc.
The 39-point margin is the second-most lop-sided Peach Belt regular-season loss ever for the Patriots..
Francis Marion will play host to Armstrong Atlantic State University, Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
01-10-07 5:30 p.m. at Spartanburg, S.C. - G.B. Hodge Center
USC UPSTATE 84, FRANCIS MARION 45
FRANCIS MARION (3-11, 0-3)
Young, Brittany 5-13 0-0 10; Kiefer, Katherine 3-10 4-4 10; Dixon, Yasmean
2-9 5-10 9; Downer, Shonelle 2-9 2-2 6; Quinlan, Chelsea 2-7 1-2 6; Marsh,
Kirby 1-5 2-2 4; Mack, Shavone 0-2 0-0 0; Goff, Vanessa 0-5 0-0 0; Preal,
Shaketa 0-3 0-0 0; Guilliams, Renee 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 15-67 14-20 45.
USC UPSTATE (7-7, 2-1)
Smith, Kianna 6-12 3-4 18; Edwards, Danielle 5-9 4-4 14; Johnson, Ebony 5-8
0-0 12; Smith, Ketorria 5-10 0-1 10; Littlejohn, Aisha 3-6 1-2 9; Hawkins,
Courtney 1-4 6-6 8; Bradley, Courtney 2-4 0-0 6; Thompson, Shavon 2-7 0-0 4;
McGlothlen, Jessica 1-4 0-0 3; Wyant, Shanea 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 14-17
84.
Halftime: USC Upstate 33 Francis Marion 15.
3-point goals-Francis Marion 1-15 (Quinlan, Chelsea 1-6; Kiefer, Katherine
0-2; Marsh, Kirby 0-2; Guilliams, Renee 0-3; Young, Brittany 0-2), USC
Upstate 10-23 (Smith, Kianna 3-7; Johnson, Ebony 2-3; Littlejohn, Aisha 2-2;
Bradley, Courtney 2-4; McGlothlen, Jessica 1-4; Wyant, Shanea 0-1; Thompson,
Shavon 0-1; Hawkins, Courtney 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, USC
Upstate-None. Rebounds-Francis Marion 47 (Dixon, Yasmean 9), USC Upstate 45
(Edwards, Danielle 11). Assists-Francis Marion 12 (Young, Brittany 6), USC
Upstate 24 (Smith, Kianna 7). Total fouls-Francis Marion 16, USC Upstate 14.
A-275
