Pembroke, N.C. (Jan. 30, 2014) – Junior guard Chelsea Dukes scored a season-high 18 points and pulled down four rebounds, but Francis Marion fell 73-61 to UNC Pembroke Thursday night in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

The Patriots slip to 10-7 on the season and 5-6 in PBC play. FMU wraps up a quick two-game roadtrip Saturday afternoon in Saint Augustine, Fla., against Flagler College. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Junior forward Alexia Bell led the Patriot starters with a career-high equaling 15 points, while sophomore guard Camille Dash added seven points, four rebounds, and three assists. Senior forward Dee Gray had a team-high seven rebounds and tallied four points. The Patriots' leading scorer on the season, Briana Robinson, was held to just five points on 2-of-8 shooting.

UNC Pembroke (7-12, 3-9) was paced by Kierra Haney who had a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Jazmine Kemp had a game-high 20 points, while Katelyn Mitchell chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Braves opened the game on an 18-6 run, and led by as many as 17 with 5:03 to play in the first half. The Patriots were able to claw back into striking distance, and cut the lead to 10 at 32-22 at halftime.

After UNCP increased the lead to 12 four minutes into the second half, FMU was able to cut the lead back to single digits at 40-32 after a Dukes' three pointer. However, the Braves would answer back with a 11-2 run and saw their lead grow to 14 with 9:58 to play in the contest.

The Patriots would have one last run in them, and found themselves down by seven at 68-61 with 57 seconds to play after two Dash free throws. However, that would be the last points FMU would score as UNCP finished the game on a 5-0 run, and earned the 12 point victory.

The Braves shot 43 percent from the field compared to the Patriots' 32 percent. FMU was just 8-36 from three-point range, and was outrebounded by the Braves 48-43.  

1-30-14 5:30 p.m. at Pembroke, N.C. / English E. Jones Center
UNC PEMBROKE 73, FRANCIS MARION 61
FRANCIS MARION (10-7, 5-6)
Chelsea Dukes 6-14 2-4 18; Alexia Bell 7-8 1-2 15; Camille Dash 2-8 2-2 7;
Erin Pinkett 2-9 0-0 6; Briana Robinson 2-8 0-0 5; Cy'erra Mills 1-6 2-2 4;
Dee Gray 2-10 0-0 4; Lauren Woods 1-6 0-1 2; Kim Roach 0-2 0-2 0; Alaysia
Watts 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-72 7-13 61.
UNC PEMBROKE (7-12, 3-9)
Jazmine Kemp 9-13 2-5 20; Kierra Haney 4-15 7-12 16; Katelyn Mitchell 5-11
2-2 16; Kamille Horne 2-6 2-2 8; Avae' Hardy 1-3 5-6 7; Phoenicia Lawson 2-4
1-4 5; Airico Williams 0-2 1-2 1; Jonissa Monley 0-0 0-0 0; Wayne Mack 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 23-54 20-33 73.
Halftime: UNCP 32 Francis Marion 22
3-point goals--Francis Marion 8-36 (Chelsea Dukes 4-9; Erin Pinkett 2-9;
Camille Dash 1-3; Briana Robinson 1-5; Lauren Woods 0-4; Alaysia Watts 0-1;
Dee Gray 0-2; Cy'erra Mills 0-3), UNC Pembroke 7-21 (Katelyn Mitchell 4-9;
Kamille Horne 2-6; Kierra Haney 1-1; Airico Williams 0-2; Avae' Hardy 0-2;
Jazmine Kemp 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-Alexia Bell; Camille Dash, UNC
Pembroke-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 43 (Dee Gray 7), UNC Pembroke 48
(Kierra Haney 16). Assists--Francis Marion 16 (Briana Robinson 4), UNC
Pembroke 16 (Avae' Hardy 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 25, UNC Pembroke
16. Technical fouls--None. A-693