FLORENCE, SC – Junior forward Dee Gray recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds and Francis Marion University never trailed as the Patriots defeated Young Harris College 58-51 on Homecoming, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 16) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion ups its overall record to 11-10 and climbs into fourth place in the PBC's East Division standings with a 5-9 league mark.  The Patriots will play at Flagler College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

FMU junior guard Erin Pinkett added 12 points by hitting on four-of-four three-point attempts in the first half, while junior forward Kim Roach came off the Patriot bench to tally 11 points and five rebounds.

Junior guard Lauren Smith led Young Harris (13-10, 7-9) with 13 points and five steals, while sophomore forward Shereese Williams posted her own double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Outside of a 4-4 deadlock at the first media timeout, the Patriots led throughout.  A jumper in the lane by Gray gave FMU its largest lead of the opening stanza at 15-6 with 11:10 left before halftime.  The Mountain Lions cut the deficit to 18-17 with 5:44 on the clock, but Francis Marion would carry a 27-24 advantage into the locker room at intermission.

A three-point play by Gray enabled FMU to stretch its advantage to 32-25 early in the second half, but Young Harris would trim the margin to 42-39 with 9:38 remaining in the contest.  Francis Marion answered with seven straight points to go ahead by 10 (49-39) with 7:59 left.

Again the Mountain Lions would cut the lead to three, the final time at 50-47 with three minutes remaining.  A basket by Gray and an inside hoop by Roach allowed the Patriots to push the margin to seven, at 54-47.  A three-pointer by Keta Robinette brought Young Harris to within 55-51 with 51 ticks remaining, but senior Kristen Dickerson, who later in the day finished as the runner-up for Miss Homecoming, hit two free throws with 23 seconds left and Gray added another charity shot with 15 seconds remaining to seal the win.

FMU forced 25 Mountain Lion turnovers and led 34-13 in points-off-turnovers.  The Patriots shot 32.3 percent from the field, compared to 38.3 percent for Young Harris.  The FMU bench also held a 27-11 advantage over the Young Harris reserves.

2/16/13 1:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 58, YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE 51

YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE (13-10 , 7-9 PBC)
Lauren Smith 4-6 5-6 13; Shereese Williams 4-9 3-5 11; Peyton Robertson 3-7
2-4 8; Keta Robinette 2-9 0-0 6; Tiffani Harrison 2-4 0-0 6; Erika
Zurauskaite 2-5 1-4 5; Breanna Gleeson 1-7 0-0 2; Kaycee Cash 0-0 0-1 0.
Totals 18-47 11-20 51.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (11-10, 5-9 PBC)
Dee Gray 6-17 4-6 16; Erin Pinkett 4-6 0-0 12; Kim Roach 5-12 1-2 11;
Camille Dash 2-9 1-2 6; Jas. Williams-Hayes 2-4 2-6 6; Briana Robinson 2-7
0-0 4; Kristen Dickerson 0-8 3-6 3; Jalyn McDowell 0-1 0-0 0; Hattie Harris
0-0 0-0 0; DeAsia Toney 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-65 11-22 58.
Halftime: Francis Marion 27 Young Harris 24
3-point goals--Young Harris College 4-17 (Keta Robinette 2-8; Tiffani
Harrison 2-3; Breanna Gleeson 0-5; Lauren Smith 0-1), Francis Marion
University 5-10 (Erin Pinkett 4-5; Camille Dash 1-3; Briana Robinson 0-1;
Dee Gray 0-1). Fouled out--Young Harris College-Breanna Gleeson, Francis
Marion University-None. Rebounds--Young Harris College 43 (Shereese Williams
11; Erika Zurauskaite 11), Francis Marion University 40 (Dee Gray 12).
Assists--Young Harris College 10 (Breanna Gleeson 4), Francis Marion
University 15 (Kristen Dickerson 3; Camille Dash 3; DeAsia Toney 3; Briana
Robinson 3). Total fouls--Young Harris College 17, Francis Marion University
18. Technical fouls--None. A-987
Charges drawn: Williams, Robertson