DUE WEST, SC – Francis Marion University sophomore center Lauryn Taylor converted a pair of lay-ups to break a late deadlock and give Francis Marion University a 60-56 road win over Erskine College on Wednesday evening (Jan. 19) handing head coach Jeri Porter her 300th career coaching victory.
 
Francis Marion evens both its overall (6-6) and Conference Carolinas (5-5) marks with the win.  The Patriots will travel to the Upstate this weekend to play at North Greenville University on Friday night at 5:30 p.m. and at Converse University on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Porter previously served as head coach at the University of North Alabama, Radford University, and George Mason University before taking over at Francis Marion in 2015.
 
Taylor finished with a game-high 19 points and hauled down six rebounds, while freshman Jada Richards scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range.
 
FMU benefited from a big advantage at the free throw line as the Patriots made 15-of-17 attempts, while Erskine was only 6-of-13.  The Patriot bench helped as well, outscoring the Flying Fleet reserves 23-5.
 
Shanece Mitchell led Erskine with 14 points, while three other team members also scored in double digits.
 
Taylor's offensive stick-back with 2:41 remaining snapped a 54-54 deadlock.  She followed that with a lay-in off a nice feed from freshman Kiana Lee to up the advantage to 58-54.  After Erskine pulled within 58-56, sophomore point guard Aniyah Oliver sealed the Patriot win with a driving lay-up with 33 ticks left.
 
FMU scored the game's opening five points, but the home team responded to tie the game at 10-10.  The Patriots led 18-15 at the end of the first quarter.  Francis Marion assumed a 22-18 advantage early in the second period, but Erskine rallied to knot the score at 22-22.  The Patriots scored nine of the half's final 13 points, including four from senior Jasmyne May, to leave for the locker room holding a 31-26 margin.
 
The lead would grow to 38-29 midway through the third period, but a 14-2 run by the Flying Fleet gave Erskine a 43-40 lead heading to the fourth period.  Erskine led 50-46 before Lee scored five straight points to put FMU back on top 51-50.
 
Francis Marion connected on 47.5 percent of its field goal attempts, including 7-of-20 from beyond the arc, while holding Erskine to 41.7 percent shooting, including 10-of-28 from long range.
 
 
01/19/22 5:00 pm at Due West, SC
FRANCIS MARION 60, ERSKINE 56
FRANCIS MARION (6-6,5-5 Conferen)
Lauryn Taylor 6-8 5-6 19; Jada Richards 4-10 0-0 12; Aniyah Oliver 3-7 0-0
7; Kiana Lee 2-4 1-1 5; Jasmyne May 2-2 1-2 5; Jasmine Stanley 1-3 2-2 4;
Zaria Woods 1-3 2-2 4; Ke'Onna Bryant 0-0 2-2 2; Scarlett Gilmore 0-3 2-2 2;
Janiyah Hagood 0-0 0-0 0; MiLeia Owens 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-40 15-17 60.
ERSKINE (0-12,0-10 Confer)
Shanece Mitchell 5-7 2-5 14; Mariah Moody 4-9 2-3 13; Anzya Cook 4-10 1-1
11; Carmen Chandler 4-11 1-4 11; Kitara Henry 2-5 0-0 5; Amaya Richardson
1-5 0-0 2; Chelsey Eison 0-0 0-0 0; Megan Jones 0-1 0-0 0; Savannah Cannon
0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 6-13 56.
Francis Marion...........   18   13     9   20  -   60
Erskine.......................   15   11   17   13  -   56
3-point goals--Francis Marion 7-20 (Jada Richards 4-8; Lauryn Taylor 2-3;
Aniyah Oliver 1-3; Jasmine Stanley 0-1; Scarlett Gilmore 0-3; Kiana Lee
0-2), Erskine 10-28 (Mariah Moody 3-5; Shanece Mitchell 2-3; Carmen Chandler
2-5; Anzya Cook 2-7; Kitara Henry 1-4; Megan Jones 0-1; Amaya Richardson
0-3). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, Erskine-None. Rebounds--Francis
Marion 25 (Lauryn Taylor 6), Erskine 27 (Carmen Chandler 10).
Assists--Francis Marion 12 (Aniyah Oliver 4), Erskine 14 (Kitara Henry 4;
Anzya Cook 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 16, Erskine 16. Technical
fouls--None. A-86