FLORENCE, SC – Playing its home opener, Francis Marion University found the friendly confines much to its liking as the Patriots never trailed during an 89-70 victory over conference-leading King University (Tenn.), Friday night (Dec. 3) in Conference Carolina women's basketball action.
 
FMU will make a quick return to the Smith University Center court as the Patriots host Lees-McRae College on Saturday (Dec. 4) at 2 p.m.  Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.  All spectators must wear a mask.
 
Playing before a Pearl Moore Night crowd, junior center Zaria Woods led five Patriots in double figures with 17 points.  The Lancaster, S.C., native also hauled down six rebounds and handed out six assists, while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor.
 
Junior guard Scarlett Gilmore, sophomore 6-0 center Lauryn Taylor, and freshman guard Kiana Lee all scored 13 points apiece.  Lee's total was a career high for the North Augusta native as she made her first start at the collegiate level.  Junior 6-1 reserve center Jasmine Stanley added 10 points and seven rebounds coming off the bench.  Sophomore point guard Aniyah Oliver again flirted with a triple-double as she registered seven points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
 
Senior guard Trinity Lee paced King (4-2, 3-1) with 18 points and six rebounds as the Tornado suffered their first league loss of the year.
 
The affair was tied three times in the opening seven minutes, the final time at 14-14, before FMU took the lead for good with a 6-0 spurt.  The margin was 22-18 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Patriots took control of the game in the second period, scoring 19 straight points to open a 41-18 advantage.  Francis Marion held the Tornado scoreless for the first 5:11 of the quarter.  FMU led by 25 points at 45-20 following an inside hoop by freshman Ke'Onna Bryant with 3:39 left before halftime.  The Patriots maintained a 49-30 edge at intermission.
 
The Tornado did trim the lead to 13 points early in the third quarter, but Francis Marion responded with a three consecutive buckets (all in the paint) to push the margin back to 19.  FMU entered the final quarter with a 21-point advantage and was not seriously threatened over the final 10 minutes.  The largest lead came at 87-59 after a Bryant stick-back with 2:18 on the clock.
 
Francis Marion shot 53.7 percent from the floor and hit 14-of-19 free throw attempts.  The Patriots held King to only 34.9 percent shooting, while the Tornado made 18-of-32 attempts at the foul line.  FMU held a commanding 56-22 edge in points-in-the-paint.
 
Moore, the women's college basketball career scoring leader with 4,061 points and a recent inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was recognized and honored at the conclusion of the contest.

 
 
12/03/21 5:30 pm at Florence, SC
FRANCIS MARION 89, KING (TN) 70
KING (TN) (4-2,3-1 Conferen)
Trinity Lee 6-12 4-4 18; Brianna Dunbar 4-12 4-9 13; Desiree Bates 2-8 3-5
7; Kiki Samsel 2-7 1-2 7; Jhayda McKinney 2-9 0-0 6; Jaden Potts 2-3 1-2 6;
Ryleigh Fritz 1-5 3-4 5; Alexa Gramann 2-3 0-0 4; Madee Denton 1-2 0-0 2;
Ashley Allen 0-1 1-2 1; Madison Worley 0-1 1-4 1. Totals 22-63 18-32 70.
FRANCIS MARION (2-4,1-3 Conferen)
Zaria Woods 8-11 1-1 17; Lauryn Taylor 4-7 5-8 13; Kiana Lee 6-11 1-2 13;
Scarlett Gilmore 4-8 4-4 13; Jasmine Stanley 5-7 0-0 10; Aniyah Oliver 2-5
2-2 7; Ke'Onna Bryant 3-5 1-2 7; Jada Richards 3-5 0-0 7; Janiyah Hagood 1-6
0-0 2; Myesha Huggins 0-0 0-0 0; MiLeia Owens 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 36-67 14-19 89.
King (TN)........................   18   12   21   19  -   70
Francis Marion................   22   27   23   17  -   89
3-point goals--King (TN) 8-31 (Trinity Lee 2-6; Kiki Samsel 2-5; Jhayda
McKinney 2-8; Jaden Potts 1-2; Brianna Dunbar 1-6; Ryleigh Fritz 0-2;
Desiree Bates 0-2), Francis Marion 3-11 (Jada Richards 1-1; Aniyah Oliver
1-2; Scarlett Gilmore 1-4; Janiyah Hagood 0-2; MiLeia Owens 0-1; Lauryn
Taylor 0-1). Fouled out--King (TN)-None, Francis Marion-None. Rebounds--King
(TN) 30 (Trinity Lee 6), Francis Marion 47 (Aniyah Oliver 8). Assists--King
(TN) 9 (Brianna Dunbar 3; Ryleigh Fritz 3), Francis Marion 28 (Aniyah Oliver
9). Total fouls--King (TN) 22, Francis Marion 26. Technical fouls--None. A-617