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FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University battled third-ranked USC Aiken to a halftime stalemate, but a 13-2 run by the unbeaten Pacers to open the second stanza paved the way to a 74-55 FMU defeat, Monday evening (Dec. 17) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion drops to 5-3 overall and 0-2 in the PBC.  The Patriots will take a break for Christmas before returning late in the month to prepare for a Jan. 2 home contest against Augusta State University.

Senior forward Jasmine Williams-Hayes came off the bench to lead the Patriots with 12 points and five rebounds.  Senior Kristen Dickerson added 10 points on 5-of 11 shooting.

Pre-season All-American Kayla Harris paced USCA (8-0, 2-0) with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists. Daniela Tarailo tallied 16 points as altogether four USCA players scored in double figures.

FMU held a five-point advantage twice in the early going, the final time at 12-7 after a layup by freshman guard Camille Dash.  The Pacers answered with nine consecutive points – five by Mackenzie Reese – to grab a 16-12 lead.

The Patriots knotted the score at 20-20 with 6:58 left before halftime and took a 28-23 lead following a jumper by Dickerson with 3:38 on the clock.  However, a basket by Mia Antoine with two ticks remaining tied the score at 31-31 as the teams headed for the locker room at intermission.

Francis Marion connected on half of its 28 field goal attempts in the opening stanza, but that figure dwindled to 32 percent (8-of-25) over the final 20 minutes.

Harris and Tarailo combined for 11 points in the Pacers' decisive 13-2 spurt to open the second half.  FMU pulled back to within 44-36 after a three-point play by Williams-Hayes, but USCA responded with a 16-5 run to push the margin to 19 points at 60-41, and the lead would remain in double digits for the rest of the contest.

Francis Marion finished the game shooting 41.5 percent from the floor, including 1-of-5 from three-point range.  The Patriots hit just 10-of-22 free throws.

12/17/12 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
#3 USC AIKEN 74, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 55

USC AIKEN (#3 8-0, 2-0 PBC)
Kayla Harris 12-21 1-1 26; Daniela Tarailo 6-14 1-3 16; Mackenzie Reese 4-7
4-5 12; Mia Antoine 3-6 4-4 10; Brittany Hill 2-7 0-0 4; Tiffani Moody 1-3
0-0 2; Porsha Martin 1-4 0-0 2; Kassy Johannsen 1-1 0-0 2; Emily O'Rourke
0-0 0-0 0; Hillary Spears 0-0 0-0 0; Michelle Turner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-63
10-13 74.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (5-3, 0-2 PBC)
Jas. Williams-Hayes 4-6 4-10 12; Kristen Dickerson 5-11 0-0 10; Kim Roach
3-6 1-2 7; Briana Robinson 3-5 0-0 6; Tiara Gause 2-11 1-2 5; Dee Gray 2-10
1-2 5; Camille Dash 2-2 0-0 4; DeAsia Toney 0-1 3-6 3; Erin Pinkett 1-1 0-0
3; Jalyn McDowell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 10-22 55.
Halftime: 31-31
3-point goals--USC Aiken 4-11 (Daniela Tarailo 3-6; Kayla Harris 1-1;
Brittany Hill 0-1; Mackenzie Reese 0-3), Francis Marion University 1-5 (Erin
Pinkett 1-1; Briana Robinson 0-2; Dee Gray 0-2). Fouled out--USC Aiken-None,
Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds--USC Aiken 41 (Kayla Harris 13),
Francis Marion University 31 (Kim Roach 5; Dee Gray 5; Jas. Williams-Hayes
5). Assists--USC Aiken 19 (Brittany Hill 6), Francis Marion University 14
(DeAsia Toney 5; Briana Robinson 5). Total fouls--USC Aiken 16, Francis
Marion University 14. Technical fouls--USC Aiken-None, Francis Marion
University-None. A-517