FLORENCE, S.C. – Sophomore guard Lindsey Kitchens paced four Lady Saints in double figures and North Georgia College & State University used a 26-2 run to claim a 69-61 Peach Belt Conference road win over Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 10) in women’s hoops action.
Following Kitchens for North Georgia (11-12, 6-7) were Megan Huffman and Porsha White with 14 points each and 6-2 junior center Rachael Jolley with 10 points and seven rebounds. Kitchens also hauled down eight rebounds and handed out four assists.
FMU freshman forward Yasmean Dixon established a new career high for the second straight game with 17 points, while grabbing seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Kirby Marsh added 13 points and junior forward Shonelle Downer came off the Patriot bench to tally 12 points. Francis Marion falls to 5-18 overall and 2-10 in the PBC with its sixth straight loss.
The Patriots’ offensive woes continued in the first half. FMU led 16-11 following a Marsh fast-break layup with 7:59 left in the stanza. However, North Georgia closed the half with an 18-2 spurt to lead 29-18 as Francis Marion missed nine of 10 field goal attempts.
In the second half, FMU got its shooting untracked with a 43-point effort. However, the 11-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome. The Lady Saints scored the first eight points of the second half to complete the 26-2 run and take a commanding 37-18 advantage. North Georgia’s largest lead came at 48-27 after Kourtney Singleton hit two free throws with 11:40 remaining.
Francis Marion answered with a 20-8 run to trim the margin to nine points at 56-47 with 4:37 left, but that would be as close as the Patriots would get until a basket by Dixon cut the lead to eight points with only 15 ticks on the clock.
FMU hit only 13 of 27 free throws, including 2-of-10 in the opening half. The Lady Saints outrebounded FMU 44-32 and held a 19-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Francis Marion plays at Lander University, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., while North Georgia hosts Clayton State University next Saturday at 4 p.m.
2-10-07 2 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
NORTH GEORGIA COLL. & ST. UNIV 69, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 61
NORTH GEORGIA COLL. & ST. UNIV (11-12 , 6-7 PBC)
Kitchens, Lindsey 5-8 0-0 15; White, Porsha 6-14 2-6 14; Huffman, Megan 3-13
6-8 14; Jolley, Rachael 2-4 4-4 10; Marble, Syretha 3-9 2-2 8; Singleton,
Kourtney 1-7 2-2 4; Fagler, Lauren 2-4 0-0 4; Baker, Brooke 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 22-59 16-22 69.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (5-18 , 2-10 PBC)
Dixon, Yasmean 5-9 7-12 17; Marsh, Kirby 5-7 1-2 13; Downer, Shonelle 6-12
0-1 12; Young, Brittany 4-7 1-3 9; Kiefer, Katherine 1-5 3-4 5; Quinlan,
Chelsea 1-3 0-0 2; Mack, Shavone 1-4 0-3 2; Guilliams, Renee 0-8 1-2 1;
Preal, Shaketa 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-56 13-27 61.
Halftime: North Georgia 29 Francis Marion 18.
3-point goals-North Georgia Coll. & St. Univ 9-19 (Kitchens, Lindsey 5-7;
Huffman, Megan 2-6; Jolley, Rachael 2-3; Fagler, Lauren 0-1; Marble, Syretha
0-2), Francis Marion University 2-13 (Marsh, Kirby 2-4; Kiefer, Katherine
0-2; Quinlan, Chelsea 0-1; Guilliams, Renee 0-6). Fouled out--North Georgia
Coll. & St. Univ-Marble, Syretha, Francis Marion University-None.
Rebounds-North Georgia Coll. & St. Univ 44 (Kitchens, Lindsey 8; Marble,
Syretha 8), Francis Marion University 32 (Dixon, Yasmean 7). Assists-North
Georgia Coll. & St. Univ 18 (Marble, Syretha 5), Francis Marion University
13 (Marsh, Kirby 4; Young, Brittany 4). Total fouls-North Georgia Coll. &
St. Univ 21, Francis Marion University 17. A-200
