FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore center Lauryn Taylor tallied game highs of 18 points and 15 rebounds, and hit a clutch go-ahead bucket in the final quarter, to power Francis Marion University to a 62-59 victory over Southern Wesleyan University, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 15) in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action.
 
The Patriots, now 5-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play, will make up a previously postponed game on Wednesday at Erskine College with a 5 p.m. tip-off.  FMU will play at North Greenville University on Friday and at Converse University on Saturday, before returning home to host UNC Pembroke on Jan. 26.
 
Taylor connected on 8-of-13 field attempts enroute to her third double-double of the season.  She also handed out three assists and collected three steals, while her rebound total was a career-high. 
 
Junior forward Zaria Woods followed Taylor with her second double-double of the year as she registered 12 points and 11 rebounds.  Freshman guard Kiana Lee scored 11 points for her second double-digit outing of the year.
 
Freshman guard Tristen Berry led three Warriors (2-9, 2-6) scoring in double figures with 13 points.
 
Taylor's turn-around jumper on the baseline and the ensuing free throw to complete a three-point play put Francis Marion up 55-53 with 3:18 left.  Another free throw by Taylor with eight seconds left kept the margin at three (60-57), but SWU's Nakia Hooks converted a stick-back with 0.9 ticks remaining to trimmed the lead to one.  However, Lee sealed the win with a pair of charity tosses at the other end and the Warriors were unable to get off a shot before the horn sounded.
 
Francis Marion scored the game's opening six points, but Southern Wesleyan answered with a 13-2 spurt to lead 13-8.  The Patriots trailed 15-13 at the end of the quarter.
 
In the second period, FMU outscored the Warriors 17-3 holding them to 1-of-15 shooting over the 10 minutes.  Lee opened the quarter with a three-pointer that put Francis Marion on top 16-15 and ignited an 11-0 run.  The Patriots would hold a 30-18 advantage at halftime.
 
A fast-break lay-in by Taylor following a SWU turnover gave FMU a 40-26 lead at the midway point of the third quarter.  The Warriors responded with 10 straight points to close within 40-36.  Francis Marion held a 44-40 lead heading to the final period.
 
The Patriots would lead by as many as six points (final time at 48-42) in the fourth, but SWU rallied to claim a 53-52 lead after a second-chance bucket by Hooks with 3:30 remaining.  That set the stage for Taylor's go-ahead hoop and the harm.
 
Francis Marion shot 44.1 percent from the floor and converted 9-of-16 free throws, while SWU shot 36.5 percent from the field and was 9-of-14 at the foul line.
 
 
 
01/15/22 2:00 pm at Florence, SC
FRANCIS MARION 62, SOUTHERN WESLEYAN 59
SOUTHERN WESLEYAN (2-9,2-6 Conferen)
Tristen Berry 6-11 1-1 13; Allie Newberry 4-7 2-2 11; Nakia Hooks 4-7 2-4
10; Brittany Mack 3-8 1-3 9; Lonesha Lee 2-10 2-2 7; Kayla Garrett 2-2 1-2
5; Shelby Glance 1-8 0-0 2; Brooke Henricks 1-6 0-0 2; Caroline Reese 0-3
0-0 0; Sasha Schoenborn 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-63 9-14 59.
FRANCIS MARION (5-6,4-5 Conferen)
Lauryn Taylor 8-13 2-5 18; Zaria Woods 6-10 0-2 12; Kiana Lee 3-6 4-4 11;
Scarlett Gilmore 4-13 0-0 8; Jasmine Stanley 3-5 1-3 7; Jasmyne May 1-4 0-0
2; Jada Richards 0-4 2-2 2; MiLeia Owens 1-3 0-0 2; Janiyah Hagood 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 26-59 9-16 62.
Southern Wesleyan........   15    3    22   19  -   59
Francis Marion................   13   17   14   18  -   62
3-point goals--Southern Wesleyan 4-24 (Brittany Mack 2-6; Allie Newberry
1-2; Lonesha Lee 1-4; Shelby Glance 0-5; Brooke Henricks 0-1; Caroline Reese
0-3; Nakia Hooks 0-1; Tristen Berry 0-2), Francis Marion 1-15 (Kiana Lee
1-2; Scarlett Gilmore 0-6; Jada Richards 0-3; MiLeia Owens 0-1; Lauryn
Taylor 0-3). Fouled out--Southern Wesleyan-None, Francis Marion-None.
Rebounds--Southern Wesleyan 34 (Nakia Hooks 8), Francis Marion 42 (Lauryn
Taylor 15). Assists--Southern Wesleyan 12 (Brittany Mack 4), Francis Marion
14 (Scarlett Gilmore 4). Total fouls--Southern Wesleyan 11, Francis Marion
15. Technical fouls--Southern Wesleyan-None, Francis Marion-None. A-183