MURFREESBORO, NC – Francis Marion University sophomore forward Trinity Adams scored a career-high equaling 21 points, but the Patriots were outscored 9-1 over the final two minutes and fell 68-62 to Chowan University, Saturday afternoon (Dec. 2) in the Conference Carolinas opener for both squads.
 
Francis Marion (2-4, 0-1) will step back out of conference play on Monday night for a 5:30 p.m. road contest at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C.
 
Adams tallied her point total on 9-of-14 shooting, including hitting 3-of-5 three-point attempts, while she also registered four assists, four rebounds, and four steals.  FMU senior Lauryn Taylor added 11 points and 13 rebounds for her third double-double of the young season, while senior point guard Aniyah Oliver and junior forward Kiana Lee each chipped in nine points.
 
Guard Sydney Roberts led five Hawks (1-3, 1-0) in double figures with a career-high 16 points.
 
A lay-in by Patriot junior Jada Richards, off an assist from Adams, knotted the score at 59-59 with 2:22 left in the game.  Adams then stole the ball and converted the ensuing lay-in to put FMU up 61-59 with 2:04 remaining.
 
The Patriots managed only a single free throw by Taylor at the 13-second mark the rest of way.  A 14-foot jumper by Chowan's Kaleah Boykin tied the game at 61-61 before Tynasia Bunting's three-pointer put the Hawks up for good 64-61 with under a minute to play.
 
FMU opened the game with a 6-1 spurt only to have Chowan answer with a 7-0 run.  A three-pointer by Taylor gave Francis Marion a 17-12 advantage before Chowan scored the final bucket of the first quarter.
 
A pair of baskets by Roberts help Chowan open a 23-19 margin early in the second quarter, and the Hawks later led 27-22.  The Patriots responded with a seven straight points, including two hoops by freshman post player Trinity Delaney, to go ahead 29-27.  With the score deadlocked at 30-30, Oliver drained a three-pointer and Adams hit a pull-up jumper to provide for a 35-30 lead at intermission.
 
In the third period, Adams connected on a three-pointer with 6:35 on the clock to give the Patriots their largest lead at 42-36.  Chowan answered with eight straight points to regain the lead, and the score would be tied at 48-48 going to the final period.
 
The final score accounted for Chowan's largest lead of the game.
 
Francis Marion shot 42.4 percent from the field, including 6-of-20 from long range, and was 6-of-11 at the free throw stripe.  Chowan connected on 36.1 of its field goal attempts, including 5-of-18 from three-point territory, and was 19-of-29 at the foul line.
 
 
12/02/23 2:00 pm at Murfreesboro, NC
CHOWAN 68, FRANCIS MARION 62
FRANCIS MARION (2-4,0-1)
Trinity Adams 9-14 0-0 21; Lauryn Taylor 3-18 4-9 11; Aniyah Oliver 4-6 0-0
9; Kiana Lee 4-8 0-0 9; Trinity Delaney 2-4 2-2 6; Jada Richards 2-7 0-0 4;
Sydney Turner 1-2 0-0 2; MiLeia Owens 0-0 0-0 0; Nevaeh Farmer 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 25-59 6-11 62.
CHOWAN (1-3,1-0)
Sydney Roberts 5-8 4-8 16; Tynasia Bunting 5-10 2-2 14; Yasmine Brown 3-15
4-7 11; Imani Hickman 4-11 3-4 11; Kaleah Boykin 4-7 2-2 10; Desiree Askew
0-3 3-4 3; Kyla Thomas 1-5 0-0 2; Nyeshia Savage 0-0 1-2 1; Daneesha Briggs
0-1 0-0 0; Danea Mackey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-61 19-29 68.
Francis Marion.............   17   18   13   14  -   62
Chowan........................   14   16   18   20  -   68
3-point goals--Francis Marion 6-20 (Trinity Adams 3-5; Kiana Lee 1-3; Aniyah
Oliver 1-3; Lauryn Taylor 1-4; Jada Richards 0-5), Chowan 5-18 (Tynasia
Bunting 2-5; Sydney Roberts 2-4; Yasmine Brown 1-5; Kyla Thomas 0-2;
Daneesha Briggs 0-1; Imani Hickman 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None,
Chowan-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 43 (Lauryn Taylor 13), Chowan 38
(Imani Hickman 13). Assists--Francis Marion 12 (Trinity Adams 4), Chowan 12
(Sydney Roberts 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 20, Chowan 18. Technical
fouls--None. A-297