NEWBERRY, SC – A second-half scoring drought by Francis Marion University and an offensive surge by Newberry College helped the Wolves dance past the Patriots by a 56-40 count on Saturday night (Dec. 13) in women's basketball action.

Senior guard Cy'erra Mills tallied 13 points to lead the Patriot attack, followed by 11 points from junior backcourt mate Camille Dash. Freshman Briana Burgins added eight points and eight rebounds.

The 2-6 Patriots will return to the Smith University Center for their first Peach Belt Conference contest on Thursday (Dec. 18) when they host the University of Montevallo at 5:30 p.m.

Newberry (5-3) senior forward Haylee Lepaio recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Samantha Creed added 14 points.

In the first half, FMU held the Wolves to just 7-of-24 shooting. A three-pointer from freshman guard Nicola Handreck with 4:12 remaining gave the Wolves their first lead of the first half at 17-14. However, FMU would respond with nine unanswered points to end the opening period, highlighted by a Mills' three-pointer. The Patriots led 23-17 at intermission.

Newberry snatched the lead from FMU on a Lepaio layup with 14:12 left in the second half. As the Wolves continued to pull away, FMU's offense struggled, scoring just 17 points in the final 20 minutes.

Francis Marion forced 24 Newberry turnovers and scored 19 points off those miscues. The Patriots held Newberry to below 30 percent shooting over the first 20 minutes, but the Wolves turned the table in the second half, holding FMU to 5-of-21 shooting (23.8%) over the final 20 minutes.

12-13-14 6:00 P.M. at Newberry, S.C. (Eleazer Arena)
NEWBERRY 56, FRANCIS MARION 40
FRANCIS MARION (2-6)
Cy'erra Mills 6-15 0-0 13; Camille Dash 4-7 3-4 11; Briana Burgins 3-9 2-2
8; Stephanie Brown 2-5 0-0 4; De'Ana Turner 1-1 0-0 2; Khayani Chandler 0-3
2-2 2; Danielle Pray 0-2 0-0 0; Courtney Wood 0-0 0-0 0; Alaysia Watts 0-10
0-0 0; Mariah Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-52 7-8 40.
NEWBERRY (6-3)
Haylee Lepaio 9-16 0-0 18; Samantha Creed 5-14 2-4 14; Jaya Schultz 2-5 4-5
8; Nicola Handreck 1-4 4-4 7; Zara Pearson 1-6 0-0 3; Emily Perry 1-4 0-0 2;
Kaitlynn Pacholke 0-0 2-2 2; Kirsten Dunsmore 1-2 0-0 2; Colleen Leung 0-2
0-0 0; Kirsti Hawkins 0-0 0-0 0; Brittany Singleton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-53
12-15 56.
Halftime: Francis Marion 23 Newberry 17
3-point goals--Francis Marion 1-12 (Cy'erra Mills 1-6; Khayani Chandler 0-1;
Danielle Pray 0-1; Alaysia Watts 0-4), Newberry 4-20 (Samantha Creed 2-7;
Zara Pearson 1-6; Nicola Handreck 1-3; Colleen Leung 0-1; Emily Perry 0-3).
Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, Newberry-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 30
(Briana Burgins 8), Newberry 40 (Haylee Lepaio 13). Assists--Francis Marion
8 (Camille Dash 3), Newberry 13 (Emily Perry 3; Zara Pearson 3). Total
fouls--Francis Marion 21, Newberry 10. Technical fouls--None. A-325