FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore point guard Aniyah Oliver scored 10 of her career-high 16 points in the fourth quarter as Francis Marion University pulled away late to defeat UNC Pembroke 79-74, Wednesday night (Jan. 26) in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action.
 
The Patriots win for the fifth consecutive outing to improve to 9-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play.  The victory also evens this season's Battle of I-95 series with the Braves (11-7, 9-5) as both squads won on their home floors.
 
FMU will entertain Erskine College on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Oliver connected on 5-of-10 field goal attempts, including 3-of-4 shots from behind the three-point arc, while also handing out five assists and committing no turnovers in 32 minutes of action.
 
Junior forward Zaria Woods scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year.  Junior guard Scarlett Gilmore tallied 13 points and six assists, while sophomore center Lauryn Taylor added 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
 
Sophomores Courtney Smith and Gabby Smith each scored 20 points to lead the Braves.
 
After UNCP made the game's opening hoop, FMU answered with seven straight points to go up 7-2.  The Patriots led by as many as six, at 13-7, before UNC Pembroke rallied to knot the score at 17-17 as the period ended.
 
Francis Marion scored the first 11 points of the second quarter, including four by Woods, to assume a 28-17 advantage.  The Braves answered with a 12-0 spurt to take a 29-28 lead following a lay-in by Hannah Russell.  A three-pointer by freshman Jada Richards with 10 ticks remaining before halftime allowed FMU to retire to the locker room holding a 33-32 margin.
 
A bucket by Alcenia Purnell gave UNCP a 34-33 lead to start the third period, but the Patriots responded with 12-2 spurt to go up 45-36.  The Braves got as close as 52-50 before FMU freshman Kiana Lee's jump shot upped the margin to 54-50 heading to the final quarter.
 
A three-point play by Taylor and a lay-up by Woods early in the fourth increased the lead to 59-50.  UNCP rallied to tie the score at both 64-64 and 67-67, the latter with 3:13 remaining.  A fast-break lay-up by Gilmore gave FMU the lead for good at 69-67.  A three-pointer by Oliver extended the margin to five points and she sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left.
 
Francis Marion shot 51.8 percent from the floor, including 8-of-15 from three-point range, and made 13-of-20 free throw attempts.  The Patriots held UNCP to 37.3 percent shooting, including only 8-of-25 from beyond the arc, while the Braves nailed 16-of-18 free throws.

 
 
01/26/22 5:30 pm at Florence, SC
FRANCIS MARION 79, UNC PEMBROKE 74
UNC PEMBROKE (11-7,9-5 Confere)
Gabby Smith 8-15 4-5 20; Courtney Smith 4-10 9-9 20; Alcenia Purnell 5-18
1-1 14; Zaria Clark 3-9 0-0 7; Lillian  Flantos 2-3 0-0 5; Kelci Adams 1-5
2-3 4; Hannah Russell 1-2 0-0 2; Tiara Williams 1-3 0-0 2; Diamond Fedrick
0-0 0-0 0; Naomi Gilbert 0-1 0-0 0; Aniah McManus 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-67
16-18 74.
FRANCIS MARION (9-6,8-5 Conferen)
Aniyah Oliver 5-10 3-4 16; Zaria Woods 6-11 3-6 15; Scarlett Gilmore 3-6 5-6
13; Lauryn Taylor 5-11 2-2 12; Jada Richards 3-3 0-0 8; Kiana Lee 3-5 0-0 7;
Jasmyne May 2-6 0-0 4; Jasmine Stanley 2-3 0-2 4; MiLeia Owens 0-1 0-0 0.
Totals 29-56 13-20 79.
UNC Pembroke...............   17   15   18   24  -   74
Francis Marion................   17   16   21   25  -   79
3-point goals--UNC Pembroke 8-25 (Courtney Smith 3-8; Alcenia Purnell 3-10;
Lillian  Flantos 1-1; Zaria Clark 1-2; Naomi Gilbert 0-1; Aniah McManus 0-1;
Kelci Adams 0-2), Francis Marion 8-15 (Aniyah Oliver 3-4; Scarlett Gilmore
2-4; Jada Richards 2-2; Kiana Lee 1-2; MiLeia Owens 0-1; Lauryn Taylor 0-2).
Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-None, Francis Marion-None. Rebounds--UNC Pembroke
26 (Zaria Clark 6), Francis Marion 44 (Zaria Woods 12). Assists--UNC
Pembroke 21 (Alcenia Purnell 7), Francis Marion 23 (Scarlett Gilmore 6;
Lauryn Taylor 6). Total fouls--UNC Pembroke 19, Francis Marion 20. Technical
fouls--None. A-264