FLORENCE, SC – Senior forward Kiana Lee scored a game-high 20, including two key free throws with 23 seconds left, and reached a career milestone while propelling Francis Marion University to a 61-60 upset of 25th-ranked and previously unbeaten Augusta University, Wednesday evening (Nov. 20) in non-conference women's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion improves to 3-1 with its second consecutive win over a nationally ranked opponent.  The Patriots, who have won 21 of their last 22 home contests, will open Conference Carolinas play on Saturday when they host Converse University at 2 p.m.
 
Lee connected on 6-of-13 field goal attempts and was 7-of-8 at the free throw stripe.  In the process, the North Augusta native became the 31st player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
 
Junior forward Trinity Adams followed Lee with 17 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore center Trinity Delaney and freshman point guard Kiara Croskey each scored eight points.  Senior guard Kennedi Simmons tallied five points, but pulled down a game-high and career-high 10 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Mone Florence led Augusta (4-1) with 16 points.
 
Trailing 58-57 with just under two minutes to play, Adams drove in for a layup that put FMU ahead 59-58.  Neither team scored over the next 1:22, after which Lee pushed the margin to 61-58 on two free throws with 23 ticks left.
 
The Jaguars drew to within 61-60 when Tyasia Freeman drained two free throws with five seconds remaining.  After a Francis Marion turnover in the backcourt, Augusta had a chance to win the contest, but Florence's three-pointer from the left elbow with one second left was no good.
 
Francis Marion led by as many as nine points (20-11) in the opening period and led 21-13 when the horn sounded.  The margin grew to 29-17 after a Croskey lay-in with 5:43 left before halftime.  A step-back jumper by Lee gave the Patriots a 31-20 advantage, but the Jaguars outscored FMU 14-1 over the final four minutes to take a 34-32 halftime lead.
 
A three-point play by Florence capped a 9-2 run to open the third period, giving Augusta its largest lead at 43-34.  FMU responded with a 9-0 spurt to knot the contest at 43-43 following a three-point play by Lee.  The Jaguars led 47-44 at the end of the third quarter.
 
Five straight points by Augusta to begin the fourth quarter produced a 52-44 Jaguar advantage with 8:36 left.  The margin was still seven (56-49) with 6:10 on the clock when Francis Marion began to rally.  Lee scored five points in an 8-0 run that put the Patriots back on top 57-56, Augusta regained the lead on a Freeman hook shot setting the stage for the final two minutes.
 
Francis Marion shot 41.5 percent from the floor and was 16-of-23 at the free throw line, while Augusta connected on 37.3 percent of its shots and was 11-of-14 at the charity stripe.