FLORENCE, SC – Junior forward Alexia Bell scored a career-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, but that effort was not enough as Francis Marion University dropped a 78-72 Peach Belt Conference decision to Flagler College, Wednesday evening (Feb. 19) in women's basketball action.

Francis Marion falls to 11-12 overall and 6-11 in the conference, while dropping to fifth place in the East Division standings.  FMU will play host to sixth-place GRU Augusta on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as part of Homecoming 2014 festivities.

Bell scored 17 of her points in the opening half.  Senior forwards Dee Gray and Kim Roach scored 11 points apiece.

Senior guard Shorty Spencer led Flagler (10-14, 8-9) with 22 points and seven assists.  Shelbi Lindsey scored 13 points off the bench and junior 5-10 center Treva Mason tallied 12 points and 18 rebounds.

Francis Marion led for the majority of the opening half, but a late 15-5 run by Flagler gave the Saints a 36-30 advantage with 3:32 left before halftime.  FMU answered by scoring the final seven points of the half, including two buckets by Gray, to snatch a one-point lead at intermission, 37-36.

Flagler took the lead four minutes into the second half and never trailed again, although there were several ties.  The Saints led by as many as nine points (68-59) in the second stanza before the Patriots rallied to tie the contest at 72-72 following two free throws by sophomore guard Camille Dash with 48 seconds left.

Flagler moved back ahead on a layup by Spencer with 17 seconds remaining.  Francis Marion committed turnovers on its next two possessions and the Saints took advantage by hitting two free throws and a last-second layup to capture the win.

FMU shot 45.2 percent from the field, but was only 2-of-14 on three-point attempts, and was 14-of-16 at the free throw line.  Flagler made 41.6 percent of its field goal attempts, including 4-of-18 from behind the arc, and was 10-of-13 the foul line.

2-19-14 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FLAGLER COLLEGE 78, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 72

FLAGLER COLLEGE (10-14 , 8-9 PBC)
Williesha Spencer 10-20 0-0 22; Shelbi Lindsey 5-15 2-4 13; Treva Mason 3-8
6-7 12; Simone High 4-9 0-0 8; Christina Brown 4-10 0-0 8; Passhayla
Williams 3-5 2-2 8; Allie Mano 2-7 0-0 5; Parker Nayman 1-2 0-0 2; Latesha
Johnson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-77 10-13 78.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (11-12 , 6-11 PBC)
Alexia Bell 10-12 3-4 23; Dee Gray 5-7 1-1 11; Kim Roach 4-6 3-4 11; Camille
Dash 2-7 5-5 9; Erin Pinkett 2-8 0-0 6; Chelsea Dukes 2-7 0-0 4; Briana
Robinson 1-7 0-0 2; Alaysia Watts 1-2 0-0 2; Cy'erra Mills 0-4 2-2 2; Lauren
Woods 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-62 14-16 72.
Halftime: Francis Marion 37 Flagler 36
3-point goals--Flagler College 4-18 (Williesha Spencer 2-3; Allie Mano 1-3;
Shelbi Lindsey 1-7; Christina Brown 0-3; Simone High 0-2), Francis Marion
University 2-14 (Erin Pinkett 2-6; Camille Dash 0-1; Chelsea Dukes 0-3;
Briana Robinson 0-1; Cy'erra Mills 0-2; Lauren Woods 0-1). Fouled
out--Flagler College-None, Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds--Flagler
College 45 (Treva Mason 18), Francis Marion University 35 (Camille Dash 6).
Assists--Flagler College 20 (Williesha Spencer 7), Francis Marion University
23 (Briana Robinson 6). Total fouls--Flagler College 17, Francis Marion
University 13. Technical fouls--Christina Brown, Dee Gray. A-692