FLORENCE, SC – Freshman forward Shaunice Fulmore scored a career-high 21 points and Francis Marion University outscored USC Aiken 23-9 in the final quarter to grab a 68-44 Peach Belt Conference win over the Pacers, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23) in women's basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 16-3 overall and moves into a tie for first place in the PBC's East Division standings with a 7-3 mark.  The victory also came on Patriot head coach Jeri Porter's birthday.

WATCH GAME REPLAY

FMU will play at Lander University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., before returning home to host Georgia College on Jan. 30 at 1:30 p.m.

Fulmore, a native of Lake City, came off the Patriot bench to connect on 7-of-13 field goal attempts and 7-of-7 free throws in only 23 minutes of action.  Sophomore Briana Burgins added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while sophomore Khayani Chandler scored 10 points.  Backcourt teammates Camille Dash and TeTe Flowers orchestrated the Patriot offense and each handed out seven assists.

Post player Kassy Johannsen led USCA (8-11, 3-7) with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Mariah Durian added 10 points.

FMU scored the game's first six points, but the Pacers answered with a 6-0 run to knot the score.  Trailing 13-12, Burgins scored the final three points of the quarter to give Francis Marion a 15-13 advantage.  FMU would never trail again.

Clinging to a one-point margin (21-20) midway through the second quarter, Francis Marion closed the first half with a 10-3 spurt to assume a 31-23 lead at intermission.  Fulmore accounted for eight of the 10 points.

USC Aiken pulled to within 31-28 early in the third period after Johannsen scored five straight points.  Burgin responded with a jumper at the other end and FMU gradually pulled away to a 45-35 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Patriots opened the final period with a 10-1 spurt to take a 55-36 lead after a fast-break three-pointer by senior forward Alaysia Watts.  The Patriots' largest lead came at 26 points on two occasions late in the contest.  FMU held USCA to 4-of-14 shooting over the final 10 minutes, while forcing three turnovers.

The Patriot bench outscored the Pacer reserves 35-15 and FMU held a 14-6 edge in second-chance points. It was the Patriots' first home victory over USCA in six years.

For the game, Francis Marion shot 43.3 percent from the field, despite hitting just 3-of-13 three-point attempts, and was 13-of-16 at the foul line.  The Patriot defense held USCA to 30.2 percent shooting, including 2-of-12 from behind the arc, while the Pacers hit 10-of-15 free throws.

1-23-16 1:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIV. 68, USC AIKEN 44
USC AIKEN (8-11 , 3-7 PBC)
Kassy Johannsen 4-8 4-8 12; Mariah Durian 4-16 2-2 10; Kate Duff 3-6 1-1 7;
Aubrey Lukackso 3-7 0-0 7; Carly Gilreath 1-4 2-2 5; Baylea Loven 1-2 0-0 2;
Alexis Ware 0-5 1-2 1; Tiffany Addison 0-0 0-0 0; Sade Johnson 0-0 0-0 0;
Katelyn Grisillo 0-2 0-0 0; Jasmine Coach 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 16-53 10-15 44.
FRANCIS MARION UNIV. (16-3 , 7-3 PBC)
Shaunice Fulmore 7-13 7-7 21; Briana Burgins 5-9 2-3 12; Khayani Chandler
4-5 0-0 10; Camille Dash 2-10 3-4 7; Victoria Dye 3-9 0-0 6; Alaysia Watts
2-9 0-0 5; TeTe Flowers 1-3 1-2 3; Lauryn Bush 1-1 0-0 2; Courtney Wood 1-1
0-0 2; Kristin Tines 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-60 13-16 68.
USC Aiken.....................   13   10   12    9  -   44
Francis Marion Univ...........   15   16   14   23  -   68
3-point goals--USC Aiken 2-12 (Aubrey Lukackso 1-4; Carly Gilreath 1-1; Kate
Duff 0-1; Alexis Ware 0-1; Jasmine Coach 0-1; Mariah Durian 0-4), Francis
Marion Univ. 3-13 (Khayani Chandler 2-2; Alaysia Watts 1-3; Camille Dash
0-2; Victoria Dye 0-5; TeTe Flowers 0-1). Fouled out--USC Aiken-None,
Francis Marion Univ.-None. Rebounds--USC Aiken 35 (Kassy Johannsen 7),
Francis Marion Univ. 38 (Briana Burgins 8). Assists--USC Aiken 12 (Aubrey
Lukackso 3), Francis Marion Univ. 18 (Camille Dash 7; TeTe Flowers 7). Total
fouls--USC Aiken 18, Francis Marion Univ. 13. Technical fouls--None. A-827
Charges drawn: Watts, Burgins, Coach