FLORENCE, SC – Senior 6-2 center Tatyana McClaney scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and pilfered five steals in her final home appearance to help lead Francis Marion University to a 66-55 Peach Belt Conference victory over local rival UNC Pembroke, Wednesday (Feb 26) evening in women's basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 13-12 overall and 9-10 in PBC play and assures themselves of a spot in next week's Peach Belt Tournament.  As they head to Flagler College to play their last regular-season game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., the Patriots currently sit tied for fifth place in the conference standings.

McClaney also blocked two shots on Senior Night to push her career total to 131, sixth-best in program history.

Junior forward Kiana Adderton led FMU with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while sophomore Zaria Woods added nine points and freshman Scarlett Gilmore eight points.

UNC Pembroke (11-16, 6-13) was led by guard Alcenia Purnell with 12 points and five assists. Forwards Deja McCain and Aliyah Farmer and guard Courtney Smith each added nine points for the Braves.

Francis Marion led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter, but five straight points by UNCP to start the second period put the Braves up 15-11.  McClaney converted a jumper to knot the score at 22-22 midway through the quarter, and on the following possession, junior Macy Passmore nailed a three-pointer to put FMU ahead for good.  The Patriots exploded for 25 points in the quarter on 7-of-11 shooting and claimed a 36-29 advantage at halftime.

The Patriots led by as many as nine in the third period and held a 49-44 lead when the horn sounded.  Another three-pointer by Passmore to open the final quarter gave FMU an eight-point margin and the Braves never got closer than seven points the remainder of the night.

FMU shot 35.4 percent from the floor, including 6-of-19 from behind the three-point arc, and made 26-of-34 free throws.  The Braves shot 34.6 percent from the field, making 5-of-17 from long range, and were 14-of-22 at the charity stripe.

Post-game comments from FMU head coach Jeri Porter and senior center Tatyana McClaney

02/26/20 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION 66, UNC PEMBROKE 55
UNC PEMBROKE (11-16,6-13 Peach)
Alcenia Purnell 5-13 1-2 12; Deja McCain 4-5 0-0 9; Courtney Smith 2-5 5-8
9; Aliyah Farmer 2-6 4-6 9; Shaniya Lester 2-7 2-2 7; Jillian Ebron 2-2 1-2
6; Danielle Heath 1-3 1-2 3; Aniah McManus 0-1 0-0 0; Naomi Gilbert 0-1 0-0
0; Tiara Williams 0-1 0-0 0; Melanie Horne 0-8 0-0 0. Totals 18-52 14-22 55.
FRANCIS MARION (13-12,9-10 Peach)
Kiana Adderton 3-12 8-8 14; Tatyana McClaney 5-13 3-6 13; Zaria Woods 3-6
3-6 9; Scarlett Gilmore 2-4 2-2 8; Camryn Johnson 1-4 4-6 7; Macy Passmore
2-6 0-0 6; Taylor Simmons 1-2 2-2 5; Khamele Manning 0-1 4-4 4; Briana White
0-0 0-0 0; Kristian Wall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-48 26-34 66.
UNC Pembroke..................   10   19   15   11  -   55
Francis Marion................     11   25   13   17  -   66
3-point goals--UNC Pembroke 5-17 (Deja McCain 1-1; Jillian Ebron 1-1;
Shaniya Lester 1-2; Aliyah Farmer 1-3; Alcenia Purnell 1-4; Melanie Horne
0-5; Courtney Smith 0-1), Francis Marion 6-19 (Macy Passmore 2-6; Scarlett
Gilmore 2-4; Camryn Johnson 1-3; Taylor Simmons 1-1; Khamele Manning 0-1;
Kiana Adderton 0-4). Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-Danielle Heath, Francis
Marion-None. Rebounds--UNC Pembroke 27 (Shaniya Lester 8), Francis Marion 35
(Tatyana McClaney 9). Assists--UNC Pembroke 9 (Alcenia Purnell 5), Francis
Marion 13 (Camryn Johnson 4; Kiana Adderton 4). Total fouls--UNC Pembroke
27, Francis Marion 23. Technical fouls--None. A-1212