GREENWOOD, SC – Patriot junior forward Alaysia Watts scored eight points and registered a career-high 14 rebounds, but Francis Marion University shot just 33.3 percent from the field and fell to the regionally-ranked Lander University Bearcats, 85-60, Wednesday (Feb. 4) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion (6-16, 3-10) will hit the road once again on Saturday to face Flagler College in a 4 p.m. tip-off.

Watts also added two steals and two blocks.  Junior guard Camille Dash led Francis Marion in scoring with 13 points while senior guard Cy'erra Mills and freshman forward Khayani Chandler chipped in 12 and 10 points respectively.

Freshman forward Breshay Johnson and junior center Cierra Kendrick paced four Lander (18-4, 11-2) double-figure scorers with 13 points apiece.  Senior guard Aarika Judge tallied 11 points and sophomore guard Ty'hesha Reynolds registered 10.

A Watts three-pointer gave FMU its largest lead at 9-5 with 15:00 remaining in the first half.  But shortly thereafter, the PBC East Division-leading Bearcats used a 10-0 first half run to jump in front of Francis Marion and never looked back.

The Patriots trailed by 14 at the intermission, 41-27.  Midway through the second half, Francis Marion suffered through a 3:30 scoring drought, and Lander orchestrated another 10-0 run to move the margin from 55-40 to 65-40.

Francis Marion assisted on 19 of its 24 made baskets, but committed 24 turnovers.  The Bearcats bench outscored FMU 42-20, while both teams registered 50 rebounds.

FMU connected on only 6-of-21 three-point attempts and the Patriots were 6-of-15 at the foul line.  Lander shot 42.9 percent from the floor.

2-4-15 5:30 p.m. at Horne Arena, Greenwood, S.C.
LANDER 85, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 60
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (6-16, 3-10 PBC)
Camille Dash 5-13 2-3 13; Cy'erra Mills 4-17 2-4 12; Khayani Chandler 5-17
0-2 10; Alaysia Watts 3-10 1-2 8; Emily Green 2-4 0-0 6; De'Ana Turner 3-3
0-0 6; Courtney Wood 1-2 0-0 2; Stephanie Brown 1-3 0-2 2; Danielle Pray 0-3
1-2 1; Mariah Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-72 6-15 60.
LANDER (18-4, 11-2 PBC)
Breshay Johnson 4-10 5-8 13; Cierra Kendrick 4-8 5-8 13; Aarika Judge 3-7
2-2 11; Ty'hesha Reynolds 3-9 2-2 10; Portia McCray 4-6 1-1 9; Brianna
Gipson 4-9 1-2 9; Ashleigh Zandi 3-5 1-2 9; Mylea McKenith 2-4 1-3 5; Bre
Crum 2-6 0-0 4; Kayla West 1-6 0-0 2; Sakezia Kelly 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-70
18-28 85.
Halftime: Lander 41 Francis Marion 27
3-point goals--Francis Marion University 6-21 (Emily Green 2-4; Cy'erra
Mills 2-8; Alaysia Watts 1-2; Camille Dash 1-2; Khayani Chandler 0-5),
Lander 7-21 (Aarika Judge 3-7; Ty'hesha Reynolds 2-6; Ashleigh Zandi 2-4;
Mylea McKenith 0-1; Bre Crum 0-1; Kayla West 0-2). Fouled out--Francis
Marion University-Camille Dash, Lander-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion
University 50 (Alaysia Watts 14), Lander 50 (Cierra Kendrick 10).
Assists--Francis Marion University 19 (Cy'erra Mills 8), Lander 21 (Bre Crum
6). Total fouls--Francis Marion University 22, Lander 18. Technical fouls--None. A-310