FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University outscored the University of Mount Olive 26-6 in the fourth quarter to secure an 81-65 win, Wednesday night (Feb. 22) in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action.
 
The Patriots conclude the regular season with a record of 20-6 overall (the first 20-win season since 2016) and 18-2 in league action.  FMU places second in the final standings and the Patriots earn the double-bye into the conference tournament semifinals set for March 4 at 2:45 p.m. at Wofford College in Spartanburg.
 
Francis Marion extends its 18-game winning streak, the third-longest streak in program history, and the third-longest active streak in NCAA Division II women's basketball. 
 
FMU sophomore guard Kiana Lee came off the bench and exploded for 22 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the floor.
 
Junior center Lauryn Taylor grabbed her 10th double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while reigning conference player of the week senior forward Jasmine Stanley recorded her eighth double-double and third in a row with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Taylor, already 28th on the FMU career scoring list with 1,133, advanced up the Patriot career rebounding list to occupy 24th position with 599.
 
Junior point guard Aniyah Oliver, ranked ninth nationally in assists per game, dished out five assists and in the process moved past Kevina Ransom for the ninth position on the FMU career assists list with 350.
 
Junior guard Reagan Hune scored 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting for Mount Olive (14-14, 10-10). 
 
As the fourth quarter began, Hune knocked in a jump shot to open a 61-55 Trojan lead.  The Patriots erupted with an 18-0 run to jump in front 73-61 with 3:12 remaining. Lee would score off a Trojan turnover to tie the game at 61-61 before her free throw gave FMU the lead for good a minute later. Taylor scored 11 of her 19 points in the fourth, while grabbing four rebounds, blocking a shot, and securing one steal.
 
Both teams came out hot, as both sides would score over 20 points in the opening quarter. The Trojans held an early 7-2 lead, before the Patriots stomped back to steal the lead with a Stanley hook shot to go up at 10-9 with 5:44 left in the quarter. Mount Olive then scored eight straight to lead 17-10 with 3:25 remaining. FMU managed to cut the deficit to four (27-23) heading into the second quarter after scoring two layups within the final 25 seconds.
 
The Trojans led by seven at 36-29 before sophomore guard Jada Richards stole the show for FMU, scoring seven straight to tie the game at 36-36 and eventually taking the lead back after two Lee free throw makes at 38-36 with 2:58 left in the half. Stanley and Lee would bump FMU ahead by eight at 44-36, but two late buckets by UMO left the Patriots a four-point lead heading into halftime at 44-40.
 
The Trojans faced a four-point deficit at 48-44 with 6:50 on the clock before beginning a 9-0 scoring run, their best of the night, and leading 53-48. The Patriots managed to get the Trojan lead down to three, but Mount Olive would not budge entering the final quarter leading 59-55.
 
The Patriots shot 54.2 percent from the floor, including 15-of-20 from the charity stripe. The Trojans were held to 39.7 percent from the floor, including 5-of-17 from behind the three-point arc, while hitting 10-of-17 free throws.
 
The Patriots held a dominating 52-36 advantage in points-in-paint, while also scoring 29 points from their reserves.

 
 
02/22/23 5:30 pm at Florence, SC
FRANCIS MARION 81, MOUNT OLIVE 65
MOUNT OLIVE (14-15, 10-10)
Reagan Hune 11-16 0-0 23; Laila Anderson 4-12 0-2 9; Tiandria Tucker 3-5 3-3
9; Haleigh Crews 2-10 4-6 8; Maleiya Hill 2-3 1-2 7; Makayla Kimble 2-8 1-2
6; Kaia Simpson 1-6 0-0 2; Dominique Pacheco 0-1 1-2 1; Jada Priebe 0-2 0-0
0. Totals 25-63 10-17 65.
FRANCIS MARION (20-6, 18-2)
Kiana Lee 9-12 3-4 22; Lauryn Taylor 6-14 7-8 19; Jasmine Stanley 8-13 2-3
18; Jada Richards 3-5 0-0 7; Trinity Adams 2-5 3-4 7; Scarlett Gilmore 2-6
0-0 4; Aniyah Oliver 2-4 0-1 4; MiLeia Owens 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 15-20 81.
Mount Olive...................   27   13   19    6  -   65
Francis Marion................   23   21   11   26  -   81
3-point goals--Mount Olive 5-17 (Maleiya Hill 2-2; Laila Anderson 1-5;
Makayla Kimble 1-4; Reagan Hune 1-1; Dominique Pacheco 0-1; Kaia Simpson
0-1; Haleigh Crews 0-3), Francis Marion 2-7 (Kiana Lee 1-1; Jada Richards
1-2; Scarlett Gilmore 0-1; Aniyah Oliver 0-1; Lauryn Taylor 0-2). Fouled
out--Mount Olive-Tiandria Tucker, Francis Marion-None. Rebounds--Mount Olive
26 (Tiandria Tucker 6), Francis Marion 42 (Jasmine Stanley 12).
Assists--Mount Olive 18 (Makayla Kimble 6), Francis Marion 22 (Aniyah Oliver
5; Trinity Adams 5). Total fouls--Mount Olive 22, Francis Marion 14.
Technical fouls--None. A-325