Box Score FLORENCE, SC – Senior guard Erin Pinkett drained four three-pointers to lead a first-half scoring outburst by Francis Marion University and the Patriots rode that hot start to a 68-54 win over visiting UNC Pembroke, Thursday night (Feb. 6) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.
Francis Marion snaps a four-game skid and improves to 11-8 overall and 6-7 in the PBC. The Patriots move into sole possession of third place in the conference's East Division standings. FMU will begin a three-game road trip this weekend by visiting Lander University on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off.
Junior guard Briana Robinson led Francis Marion with 18 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals. All 12 of Pinkett's points came in the opening 20 minutes as the Patriots built a 25-point halftime lead. Sophomore guard Camille Dash and senior center Kim Roach both chipped in eight points.
Guard Jasmine Huntley and center Kierra Haney led UNCP (7-14, 3-11) with 12 points apiece, while Kamille Horne added 11 points. Haney also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
Francis Marion scored the game's opening nine points and never trailed. FMU connected on seven of its first nine field goal attempts and raced to a 17-2 after only six-and-a-half minutes. The Lady Braves pulled to with 10 points, 21-11, with 9:35 left before intermission, but the Patriots closed the stanza with a 22-7 spurt to lead 43-18 at the break.
UNCP gradually chipped away at the large margin, and crept to within 11 points, 57-46, with 8:25 remaining, but that would be as close as the Lady Braves would get.
Francis Marion shot 43.9 percent for the game, including a sizzling 54.4 percent in the opening half. The Patriots were 7-of-18 from three-point range and a near perfect 11-of-12 at the foul line. FMU committed only eight turnovers and held a commanding 21-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
UNCP shot 40.9 percent for the game, was 4-of-16 from beyond the arc, and hit 14-of-21 free throw attempts. FMU won the rebounding battle 34-27 and led 10-4 in second-chance points.
2-6-14 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 68, UNC PEMBROKE 54
UNC PEMBROKE (7-14 , 3-11 PBC)
Kierra Haney 5-9 0-1 12; Jasmine Huntley 4-7 4-5 12; Kamille Horne 3-9 3-4
11; Jazmine Kemp 2-5 4-6 8; Katelyn Mitchell 3-7 1-1 7; Jonissa Monley 1-1
0-0 2; Avae' Hardy 0-3 1-2 1; Phoenicia Lawson 0-1 1-2 1; Airico Williams
0-1 0-0 0; Wayne Mack 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 14-21 54.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (11-8 , 6-7 PBC)
Briana Robinson 7-14 2-2 18; Erin Pinkett 4-10 0-0 12; Kim Roach 4-5 0-0 8;
Camille Dash 2-7 4-4 8; Chelsea Dukes 3-7 0-0 6; Dee Gray 1-2 1-2 4; Cy'erra
Mills 1-3 2-2 4; Alaysia Watts 1-2 2-2 4; Alexia Bell 1-5 0-0 2; Lauren
Woods 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-57 11-12 68.
Halftime: Francis Marion 43 UNCP 18
3-point goals--UNC Pembroke 4-16 (Kierra Haney 2-4; Kamille Horne 2-8;
Katelyn Mitchell 0-3; Avae' Hardy 0-1), Francis Marion University 7-18 (Erin
Pinkett 4-9; Briana Robinson 2-5; Dee Gray 1-1; Chelsea Dukes 0-1; Cy'erra
Mills 0-1; Lauren Woods 0-1). Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-None, Francis Marion
University-None. Rebounds--UNC Pembroke 27 (Kierra Haney 10), Francis Marion
University 34 (Kim Roach 7). Assists--UNC Pembroke 12 (Jasmine Huntley 5),
Francis Marion University 16 (Briana Robinson 7). Total fouls--UNC Pembroke
12, Francis Marion University 17. Technical fouls--None. A-1179
Charges drawn: Pinkett 2
