PEMBROKE, NC – Francis Marion University junior guard Scarlett Gilmore and sophomore forward Lauryn Taylor combined for 39 points, but a 13-0 second-quarter spurt allowed UNC Pembroke to secure a 66-49 win over the Patriots, Thursday evening (Jan. 6) in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion (4-6, 3-5) will play at King University in Bristol, Tenn., on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a game that originally scheduled for Feb. 5 but moved up.
 
Gilmore led the way with 21 points, including shooting 5-of-10 from behind the three-point arc, while Taylor tallied 18 points, nine rebounds, and three steals.  The Patriots were playing their first game in 19 days following the holiday break and a covid-forced postponement on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore center Gabby Smith led UNCP (9-4, 7-2) with 16 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Zaria Clark added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
FMU took a 3-0 advantage on a three-pointer by Gilmore to open the game.  UNCP responded with six straight points, and later led 14-8 at the end of the quarter.
 
Francis Marion trimmed the margin to 14-13 on a lay-in by Taylor early in the second quarter, but UNCP scored the game's next 13 points to lead 27-13.  The deficit was 32-15 at halftime.
 
The Patriots pulled within 34-20 on an inside hoop by Woods in the third quarter, but again the Braves answered with a 9-0 run to go on top 43-20.
 
Francis Marion shot 35.7 percent from the floor, while the Braves hit 41.0 percent of the field goal attempts.
 
 
01/06/22 5:00 pm at Pembroke, NC
UNC PEMBROKE 66, FRANCIS MARION 49
FRANCIS MARION (4-6,3-5 Conferen)
Scarlett Gilmore 8-17 0-0 21; Lauryn Taylor 8-14 1-2 18; Zaria Woods 2-4 0-0
4; Jada Richards 1-7 0-0 3; Kiana Lee 1-3 0-0 3; Jasmine Stanley 0-2 0-0 0;
Janiyah Hagood 0-1 0-0 0; Aniyah Oliver 0-3 0-0 0; MiLeia Owens 0-2 0-0 0;
Jasmyne May 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 1-2 49.
UNC PEMBROKE (9-4,7-2 Conferen)
Gabby Smith 6-14 4-6 16; Courtney Smith 6-9 2-2 15; Zaria Clark 4-8 4-4 12;
Kelci Adams 3-5 0-0 8; Lillian  Flantos 3-11 0-1 6; Alcenia Purnell 2-8 0-0
5; Tiara Williams 1-3 1-2 3; Diamond Fedrick 0-0 1-2 1; Naomi Gilbert 0-2
0-0 0; Aniah McManus 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-61 12-17 66.
Francis Marion................    8    7   17   17  -   49
UNC Pembroke..............   14   18  19   15  -   66
3-point goals--Francis Marion 8-29 (Scarlett Gilmore 5-10; Jada Richards
1-7; Lauryn Taylor 1-4; Kiana Lee 1-2; Janiyah Hagood 0-1; Aniyah Oliver
0-2; MiLeia Owens 0-1; Jasmyne May 0-2), UNC Pembroke 4-16 (Kelci Adams 2-4;
Alcenia Purnell 1-6; Courtney Smith 1-2; Tiara Williams 0-1; Naomi Gilbert
0-2; Gabby Smith 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None, UNC Pembroke-None.
Rebounds--Francis Marion 31 (Lauryn Taylor 9), UNC Pembroke 40 (Zaria Clark
10). Assists--Francis Marion 13 (Zaria Woods 4), UNC Pembroke 10 (Alcenia
Purnell 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 12, UNC Pembroke 7. Technical
fouls--None. A-154