Box Score FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University held 24th-ranked Columbus State University to 20 first-half points and owned a 12-point halftime advantage, but the Cougars exploded for 43 points over the final 20 minutes to rally for a 63-52 win, Monday (Jan. 16) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.
For the third time in the past 10 days, FMU (7-10, 2-6) led or was tied with a nationally ranked opponent in the final quarter only to suffer a heart-breaking home defeat. The Patriots will return to action on Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. home contest against Augusta University.
Sophomore Shaunice Fulmore led Francis Marion with 15 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots, while junior Briana Burgins tallied 13 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard Abigail Bullock came off the FMU bench to score 12 points, eleven of which came in the opening half.
Senior 6-0 forward Ashley Asouzu led Columbus State (13-1, 7-1) with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while 6-2 junior center Alexis Carter chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds.
A 9-0 run by Francis Marion late in the first quarter helped the Patriots hold a 16-10 margin after 10 minutes. Fulmore ended the first period by banking in a half-court shot as the buzzer sounded.
FMU expanded its lead to 32-20 at halftime as the Patriots connected on 7-of-13 field goal attempts in the second quarter. Bullock tallied eight of her points in the second period.
CSU rallied in the third quarter to knot the score at 37-37 after a three-pointer by Tatiana Wayne. FMU regained a three-point advantage at 40-37 after a trio of free throws, but the two teams would enter the final period deadlocked at 41-41.
The Cougars opened the final 10 minutes by scoring seven straight points and 15 of the period's first 17 to lead 56-43. Fulmore and junior Khai Chandler combined on an 8-0 FMU spurt that brought the Patriots to within five at 56-51 with 2:45 remaining, but that would be as close as FMU would get. Francis Marion connected on only 6-of-24 field goal attempts in the second half.
For the game, FMU shot 34.5 percent, including 6-of-14 from behind the three-point arc, while CSU connected on 37.9 percent, including 4-of-18 from long range.
1/16/17 1:50 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
COLUMBUS STATE UNIV. 63, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 52
COLUMBUS STATE UNIV. (#24 13-1 , 7-1)
Ashley Asouzu 8-11 5-8 21; Alexis Carter 7-13 0-3 14; Britteny Tatum 3-14
2-4 10; Gabby Williams 2-8 2-4 7; Keyrra Gillespie 3-4 0-0 6; Tatiana Wayne
1-5 0-0 3; Eboni Williams 1-2 0-0 2; Kristian Carter 0-0 0-0 0; Ariel
Johnson 0-0 0-0 0; Toxiana Wilson 0-2 0-0 0; Narshanda Malone 0-3 0-0 0;
Erin Morrow 0-3 0-0 0; Asia Vetter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-66 9-19 63.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (7-10, 2-6 PBC)
Shaunice Fulmore 5-10 3-4 15; Briana Burgins 5-12 3-6 13; Abigail Bullock
4-9 1-2 12; Kristin Tines 2-4 0-0 4; Khai Chandler 2-9 0-0 4; TeTe Flowers
1-9 1-4 4; Lauryn Bush 0-1 0-0 0; Tatyana McClaney 0-0 0-0 0; Keanua
Williams 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 8-16 52.
Columbus State Univ........... 10 10 21 22 - 63
Francis Marion University..... 16 16 9 11 - 52
3-point goals--Columbus State Univ. 4-18 (Britteny Tatum 2-7; Tatiana Wayne
1-2; Gabby Williams 1-2; Narshanda Malone 0-2; Erin Morrow 0-3; Keyrra
Gillespie 0-1; Alexis Carter 0-1), Francis Marion University 6-14 (Abigail
Bullock 3-5; Shaunice Fulmore 2-2; TeTe Flowers 1-2; Khai Chandler 0-4;
Keanua Williams 0-1). Fouled out--Columbus State Univ.-None, Francis Marion
University-TeTe Flowers. Rebounds--Columbus State Univ. 44 (Ashley Asouzu
13), Francis Marion University 38 (TeTe Flowers 8). Assists--Columbus State
Univ. 16 (Keyrra Gillespie 4; Gabby Williams 4), Francis Marion University
15 (TeTe Flowers 7). Total fouls--Columbus State Univ. 20, Francis Marion
University 18. Technical fouls--None. A-614
