Box Score AUGUSTA, GA – Francis Marion University suffered through two long scoring droughts and shot just 32.1 percent from the field in a 52-40 road loss to GRU Augusta, Wednesday (Feb. 18) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.
With its second straight loss, Francis Marion (8-18, 5-12) drops to two games back of fourth place in the East Division. The Patriots will host USC Aiken in their final home contest on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. It will be Homecoming as well as Senior Day for FMU.
Freshman forward Khayani Chandler led the Patriots with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five rebounds. Senior forward De'Ana Turner registered six points, while freshman forward Courtney Wood hauled down a team-high six boards in addition to her five points.
Junior forward Kariel Hutt recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds for GRU Augusta (8-16, 7-10), while Kelsey Fynnardt and Joshlyn Belcher tallied nine points apiece. The Jaguars' 7-10 PBC mark ties them with UNC Pembroke for fourth place in the East and the final berth in the post-season tournament.
FMU enjoyed its largest lead at 12-8 with 13:24 remaining in the opening half after a layup by freshman forward Stephanie Brown. However, the Jaguars snatched the lead away from the Patriots with a 7-0 run over the ensuing 6:29. Although FMU's offense hit scoring droughts of seven and then six minutes, its defense kept the game close.
GRU Augusta never held an advantage greater than seven points in the first half. The Patriots ended the opening period on a high note thanks to a three-pointer by senior guard Cy'erra Mills to trim the margin to four, 21-17, at intermission.
Another Mills jumper put FMU on top 23-22 with 17:14 remaining in the second half. Unfortunately for the Patriots, Hutt scored the next five GRU Augusta points, including an old-fashioned three-point play, as the Jaguars took 29-23 advantage.
The Jaguars distanced themselves from the Patriots even further on a 6-0 run to widen the edge to 39-27 with 6:19 left. A later 10-1 spurt swelled the GRU Augusta lead to 49-31 with 3:04 remaining. FMU scored the final seven points of the game, but GRU Augusta's lead was too much for FMU to overcome.
Francis Marion outrebounded GRU Augusta 34-31, but the Jaguars benefited from 16 FMU turnovers, converting them into 22 points. The Jaguars hit one more three-point attempt than the Patriots (5 to 4), but FMU recorded a better percentage from beyond-the-arc. (30.8 percent to 23.8 percent).
2-18-15 5:30 p.m. at Augusta, Ga. - Christenberry Fieldhouse
GRU AUGUSTA 52, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 40
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (8-18, 5-12 PBC)
Khayani Chandler 6-12 0-0 14; De'Ana Turner 3-3 0-0 6; Cy'erra Mills 2-9 0-0
5; Courtney Wood 2-5 1-2 5; Briana Burgins 1-6 1-2 3; Emily Green 1-2 0-0 3;
Stephanie Brown 1-6 0-2 2; Alaysia Watts 1-5 0-0 2; Camille Dash 0-3 0-0 0;
Mariah Johnson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-53 2-6 40.
GRU AUGUSTA (8-16, 7-10 PBC)
Kariel Hutt 6-11 5-6 17; Joshlyn Belcher 3-11 0-0 9; Kelsey Fynaardt 4-5 1-2
9; Kayla Roberts 4-6 0-0 8; Camille Gee 2-7 1-2 7; Tavia Sykes 1-5 0-0 2;
Sabrina Montgomery 0-1 0-0 0; Erika Waters 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-46 7-10 52.
Halftime: GRU Augusta 21 Francis Marion 17
3-point goals--Francis Marion University 4-13 (Khayani Chandler 2-7; Cy'erra
Mills 1-3; Emily Green 1-2; Mariah Johnson 0-1), GRU Augusta 5-21 (Joshlyn
Belcher 3-11; Camille Gee 2-6; Kayla Roberts 0-2; Tavia Sykes 0-2). Fouled
out--Francis Marion University-None, GRU Augusta-None. Rebounds--Francis
Marion University 34 (Courtney Wood 6), GRU Augusta 31 (Kariel Hutt 12).
Assists--Francis Marion University 13 (Cy'erra Mills 4), GRU Augusta 13
(Kayla Roberts 6). Total fouls--Francis Marion University 12, GRU Augusta 6.
Technical fouls--None. A-388
