Box Score WINGATE, NC -- Wingate University took advantage of 50 trips to
the free throw line, making 37, and held on for an 87-85 upset of
17th-ranked Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (Dec. 19)
on the second day of the OrthoCarolina Women's Basketball
Classic.
The Patriots (8-1) suffer their first loss of the season and
their first loss to a non-conference opponent in three
seasons.
FMU will play Bluefield College (Va.) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
in the opening game of the Carolina's Challenge in the Myrtle Beach
Convention Center. USC and UNC will play in the second
game at 3 p.m., followed by Coastal Carolina facing Savannah State
at 5 p.m. Admission is $10.
Junior Shannon Singleton-Bates led Francis Marion with 15
points, while Eboni Fields scored 13, Shana Franks 11, and
guard Monica Mann a season-high 10. Franks was named to the
All-Tournament Team.
Kurie Washington led Wingate (6-4) with 18 points and seven
rebounds, while Sarah Rosser added 14 and Stacie Rhodes 12 points
and 10 rebounds.
The opening half was divided into four nearly equal
segments. Wingate jumped to a quick 13-4 lead after four
minutes, but FMU rallied with a 21-6 run to lead 25-19 at the
midway point of the half. The Bulldogs responded with a 20-5
spurt to grab a 39-30 advantage with five minutes left before
halftime. The Patriots closed the margin to 48-45 at
intermission.
Francis Marion would never lead in the second half, but managed
to tie the score twice -- the final time at 76-76 on a layup by
Singleton-Bates with 4:01 left. A layup by freshman guard
Courtney Mealing with 48 seconds left cut the deficit to
87-85. After Robin Colbert blocked a Wingate shot, FMU
had a chance to tie or go ahead, but the Patriots turned the ball
over. Wingate missed two free throws with 10 ticks left,
but FMU was unable to get off a potential game-tying shot.
Francis Marion held Wingate to 29.6 percent shooting over
the final 20 minutes, but the Bulldogs drained 22 of 31 charity
tosses during that span.
For the game, FMU shot 41.2 percent from the floor,
including 9-of-25 on three-pointers, but the Patriots only took a
season-low 68 field goal attempts. FMU was also 20-of-28
at the free throw line.
WINGATE WOMEN 87, #17 FRANCIS MARION
85
FRANCIS MARION (8-1)
Singleton-Bates, Sha 7-16 1-1 15; Fields, Eboni
5-12 0-1 13; Franks, Shana
4-10 0-0 11; Mann, Monica 3-5 2-2 10; Mealing, Courtney
3-5 3-5 9; Colbert,
Robin 2-2 2-2 7; Mealing, Nicole 1-6 4-4 6;
Downs, Danelle 1-4 3-7 5;
Tucker, Precious 1-4 2-2 4; Coleman, Dawn 1-3 1-2 3;
Trice, Simone 0-1 2-2
2; Dickerson, Kristen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-68 20-28
85.
WINGATE (6-4)
Washington, Kurie 5-12 6-8 18; Rosser, Sarah 5-6 0-0
14; Rhodes, Stacie 4-8
4-6 12; Whitenack, Stephanie 2-5 6-8 10; Crumlin, Erica
1-6 7-8 9; Brooks,
CC 0-3 7-9 7; Parrish, Emily 2-3 0-0 6; Mitchell, Britney
2-5 1-2 5;
Wollett, Sarah 0-1 3-4 3; Brown, Gladney 0-1 2-2 2;
Logan, Louticia 0-0 1-2
1; Shuey, Stefani 0-1 0-1 0; Keitt, Jessy 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 21-53 37-50 87.
Halftime: Wingate 48 Francis
Marion 45
3-point goals--Francis Marion 9-25 (Franks, Shana 3-5;
Fields, Eboni 3-7;
Mann, Monica 2-4; Colbert, Robin 1-1; Coleman, Dawn 0-2;
Trice, Simone 0-1;
Mealing, Nicole 0-5), Wingate 8-13 (Rosser, Sarah 4-4;
Parrish, Emily 2-2;
Washington, Kurie 2-4; Whitenack, Stephanie 0-3).
Fouled out--Francis
Marion-Downs, Danelle; Tucker, Precious,
Wingate-Washington, Kurie.
Rebounds--Francis Marion 44 (Franks, Shana 6; Colbert,
Robin 6), Wingate 39
(Rhodes, Stacie 10). Assists--Francis Marion 17 (Colbert,
Robin 4), Wingate
19 (Whitenack, Stephanie 6). Total fouls--Francis Marion
34, Wingate 25.
Technical fouls--None. A-150
