COLUMBUS, GA - Columbus State University sophomore forward Shanrika Hardeman scored 14 of her game-high 22 points after halftime, including a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left, to give the Lady Cougars a 58-56 win over Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 3) in Peach Belt Conference women’s basketball action.

CSU improves to 15-6 overall and 7-3 in PBC, while FMU drops to 5-16 and 2-8 with its fourth straight loss.

Juniors Renee Guilliams and Shavone Mack led Francis Marion with 14 points each, and Mack grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. The Patriots held a 37-30 advantage on the boards, but shot just 39 percent on the afternoon. They did force 21 CSU turnovers, but allowed CSU to score 27 points off their own 31 miscues.

Trailing 29-27 at the half, CSU took control of the game by going on a 10-0 run in the first four minutes of the second stanza. Cherwonna Walker's jumper tied the game at 29 just over a minute into play, and a Hardeman layup capped the run at the 16:20 mark to make it 37-29.  FMU finally got a bucket at the 15:56 mark on Chelsea Quinlan's three-pointer, but CSU answered by outscoring the Patriots 11-2 over the next five minutes. A Hardeman jumper gave CSU its largest lead with 10:29 left, making it 48-34.

The Patriots did not wilt, however, and mounted a big charge of their own. Three consecutive triples by Guilliams cut the margin to 49-43 with 8:20 left, and that became part of an overall 16-1 run by FMU.  A Quinlan three-pointer gave the Patriots the lead again at 51-50 with 4:05 to play.

The lead would change hands three times over the final 4:05, with FMU holding a slight advantage for most of that time. CSU tied the game at 54-54 on a Walker jumper and free-throw with 1:19 left, only to see FMU retake the lead on the ensuing possession when Katherine Kiefer hit a pair of charity shots. Hardeman tied the game again with 48 seconds left on a put-back of a Walker miss, and then calmly drilled two free-throws with 13 seconds left to put the Lady Cougars up 58-56.

The Patriots had one more chance to force overtime, but Brittany Young was called for traveling with four seconds left and CSU was able to run out the clock.

CSU shot 50 percent in the second half to make up for its 36 percent showing in the first half. The Lady Cougars finished at 42 percent overall and forced 31 FMU turnovers. In addition to her 22 points, Hardeman led CSU in rebounding with eight. Walker added 10 points despite being plagued by foul trouble.

Francis Marion makes the short trip to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday, for a 5:30 p.m. contest.