FLORENCE, SC - Junior Shannon Singleton-Bates scored a season-high 25 points and junior reserve guard Monica Mann hit four free throws in the final 24 seconds to help 18th-ranked Francis Marion University to a hard-fought 90-85 Peach Belt Conference win over Columbus State University, Sunday afternoon (Jan. 17) in women's basketball action.

Unbeaten now in 10 home contests this season, Francis Marion ups its overall mark to 14-2 and is 6-1 in the PBC. 

Singleton-Bates' point total included a 13-of-16 day at the free throw stripe.  She scored her points in only 26 minutes of action.  Senior guard Eboni Fields drilled 4-of-5 three-pointers en route to 17 points, while junior 6-0 center Tiahana Bowens added 11 points and junior point guard Robin Colbert 10.  Colbert also registered five assists and four steals while not committing a turnover in 29 minutes.

The loss dropped Columbus State to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in the Peach Belt and overshadowed a 36-point, 17-rebound, five blocked shots effort by senior 6-0 center Phebe Smith.  Smith is the sister of Atlanta Hawks star Josh Smith.  Guard Nikki Urbizo tallied 16 points and five assists before fouling out, while Turelle Jones chipped in 10 points.

Columbus State connected on nine of its first 11 field goal attempts and stormed to a 21-12 lead after only 5:48.  The margin would grow to 23-13 after two free throws by Smith at the 13:02 mark of the opening half.  A 9-0 run by FMU cut the deficit to one point.  A minute later, a three-pointer by Fields gave the Patriots the lead for good at 27-25.

Despite a combined 25 points by Smith and Urbizo in the opening stanza, Francis Marion led 43-38 at intermission.

Although CSU would never lead in the second half, the Cougars did not go quietly.  A 7-1 spurt by FMU to open the final half produced the first double-digit lead for the Patriots at 50-39.  Three free throws by Fields with 9:09 remaining stretched the lead to 69-56.

Turelle capped a 12-2 CSU rally with back-to-back three pointers from the left side and CSU trailed by only 71-68 with 7:11 left.  Francis Marion answered with a 9-2 run that restored the margin to 10 points at 80-70.  Smith then scored eight points, including a layup with 26 seconds left, which rallied the Cougars to within a single point at 86-85.

Mann then made two free throws with 24 seconds remaining to push the Patriot advantage to 88-85.  Following a CSU turnover, she made 1-of-2 charity tosses at :15 to up the lead to four points.  Mann then grabbed the rebound following a missed Columbus State three-pointer and again made 1-of-2 free throws with 0.9 of a second left for the final margin.

Francis Marion committed only 15 turnovers in the game, while forcing 35 Cougar miscues.  FMU also hit on 30-of-46 free throw attempts.  For the game, CSU shot 56.4 percent from the floor, but was outscored by 12 at the foul stripe.

FMU will play host to Flagler College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., while CSU hosts Georgia College & State University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

1-17-10 1:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
#18 FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 90, COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY 85
COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY (9-6 , 3-2 PBC)
Smith, Phebe 12-17 12-17 36; Urbizo, Nikki 6-12 1-2 16; Jones, Turelle 4-7
0-1 10; Stafford, Ashley 3-5 3-3 9; Moore, Hali 2-2 0-0 4; Jefferson,
Monique 2-6 0-0 4; Holt, Nakita 1-1 1-2 3; Ringfield, Lauren 1-1 0-1 2;
Jackson, Renee 0-3 1-2 1; Weynand, Kelsie 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-55 18-28 85.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (#18 14-2 , 6-1)
Singleton-Bates, Sha 6-13 13-16 25; Fields, Eboni 5-8 3-3 17; Bowens,
Tiahana 5-12 1-2 11; Colbert, Robin 4-8 2-4 10; Mann, Monica 2-3 5-11 9;
Tucker, Precious 3-10 0-0 6; Franks, Shana 2-6 2-2 6; Mealing, Nicole 1-3
2-2 4; Coleman, Dawn 0-0 1-2 1; Trice, Simone 0-1 1-4 1; Mealing, Courtney
0-6 0-0 0. Totals 28-70 30-46 90.
Halftime: Francis Marion 43 Columbus State 38
3-point goals--Columbus State University 5-14 (Urbizo, Nikki 3-7; Jones,
Turelle 2-4; Jefferson, Monique 0-2; Weynand, Kelsie 0-1), Francis Marion
University 4-12 (Fields, Eboni 4-5; Bowens, Tiahana 0-1; Colbert, Robin 0-1;
Franks, Shana 0-1; Mealing, Nicole 0-1; Mealing, Courtney 0-2;
Singleton-Bates, Sha 0-1). Fouled out--Columbus State University-Jackson,
Renee; Urbizo, Nikki; Holt, Nakita, Francis Marion University-Mealing,
Nicole; Franks, Shana. Rebounds--Columbus State University 44 (Smith, Phebe
17), Francis Marion University 33 (Tucker, Precious 8). Assists--Columbus
State University 21 (Holt, Nakita 5; Urbizo, Nikki 5), Francis Marion
University 16 (Colbert, Robin 5). Total fouls--Columbus State University 33,
Francis Marion University 25. Technical fouls--None. A-503