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SAVANNAH, GA - Sophomore guard Emilee Dunton scored 11 of her 17 points in overtime as Francis Marion University claimed a 77-70 road win over Armstrong Atlantic State University, Saturday afternoon (Dec. 17) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the PBC. FMU will play its final pre-Christmas contest on Monday afternoon as the Patriots travel to Coker College for a 2 p.m. tip-off, where they will look for their 10th consecutive win against the Cobras.

On Saturday, sophomore guard Brittany Christian also tallied 17 points to share scoring honors with Dunton.  Junior point guard Carmella Thompson registered nine points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.

Mauri Wells, the nation's top rebounder, led the Pirates (6-3, 1-2) with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Angelia Hill added 16 points.

Thompson's three-pointer with 24 seconds left in regulation knotted the score at 64-64.  Following an Armstrong turnover, Thompson had a chance to win the game prior to overtime, but her coast-to-coast layup attempt rolled off the rim as the final buzzer sounded.

In the extra period, the Pirates took a 67-64 advantage on a three-pointer by Hill.  Dunton tied the score with he own three-pointer with 1:52 left.  On the ensuing possession, Thompson fouled Jazmin Walker, but Walker was whistled for a technical foul.  Dunton drained the two technical foul shots to put FMU on top 69-67 and then Walker made only one of her two charity tosses leaving the Patriots up 69-68.

Dunton then nailed a second three-pointer to extend Francis Marion's lead to 72-68 with 41 seconds remaining.  After a Pirate miss, Dunton hit two more free throws to lengthen the Patriot lead to 74-68.  Wells hit a jumper for Armstrong to trim the deficit to 74-70, but Dunton hit one free throw and Christian two foul shots to seal the road victory.

Armstrong led 37-32 at halftime, but Francis Marion opened the second stanza with a 7-2 spurt to tie the game at 39-39.  The Patriots would lead by as many as eight in the second half, 54-46 following a free throw by Danielle Gibson near the midway point of the stanza.

Francis Marion held Armstrong to 2-of-11 shooting in the 5-minute overtime period.

12-17-11 1:30 p.m. at Savannah, GA (Alumni Arena)
FRANCIS MARION 77, ARMSTRONG 70  OT

FRANCIS MARION (3-4, 1-2 PBC)
Brittany Christian 6-12 2-2 17; Emilee Dunton 4-9 5-6 17; Daphne Walker 3-9
3-10 9; Carmella Thompson 4-10 0-0 9; Danielle Gibson 3-7 1-2 7; Chelsey
Johnson 2-5 2-2 6; Simone Trice 2-6 1-2 5; T.T. Belcher 2-3 1-2 5; Hattie
Harris 1-4 0-0 2; Kristen Dickerson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-65 15-26 77.
ARMSTRONG (6-3, 1-2 PBC)
Mauri Wells 6-14 7-8 19; Angelia Hill 6-14 2-6 16; Jazmin Walker 4-17 1-3
10; Demisha Mills 4-12 2-6 10; D. D. Gipson 3-9 2-2 8; Karolina Rykowska 1-2
0-0 3; Briana McFarland 1-3 0-0 2; Dee Hayward 1-4 0-0 2; Amber Ford 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 26-75 14-25 70.
Halftime: Armstrong 37 Francis Marion 32. Regulation: 64-64
3-point goals--Francis Marion 8-18 (Emilee Dunton 4-7; Brittany Christian
3-6; Carmella Thompson 1-2; Simone Trice 0-1; Danielle Gibson 0-1; Daphne
Walker 0-1), Armstrong 4-18 (Angelia Hill 2-6; Karolina Rykowska 1-1; Jazmin
Walker 1-5; Briana McFarland 0-1; Dee Hayward 0-2; D. D. Gipson 0-1; Mauri
Wells 0-2). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, Armstrong-None.
Rebounds--Francis Marion 52 (Carmella Thompson 13), Armstrong 49 (Mauri
Wells 15). Assists--Francis Marion 14 (Carmella Thompson 6), Armstrong 15
(Demisha Mills 3). Total fouls--Francis Marion 18, Armstrong 18. Technical
fouls--D.Walker, J.Walker. A-146