FLORENCE, SC – Senior guard
Jada Richards scored 24 points, her second straight 20-point outing, to lead Francis Marion University to an 80-59 victory over Fayetteville State University, Monday evening (Dec. 2) in non-conference women's basketball play.
Francis Marion, now 6-1, concludes its seven-game season-opening home stand. The Patriots have won 24 of their last 25 contests in the Smith University Center. FMU will take a break for final exams before returning to Conference Carolinas play at Barton College on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
Richards connected on 10-of-15 field goal attempts, including 4-of-9 three-point shots. Her total was two shy of her career high set last season. She also pilfered three steals
Senior forward
Kiana Lee followed Richards with 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Junior forward
Trinity Adams added 11 points and seven rebounds, while both
Kennedi Simmons and
Trinity Delaney chipped in nine points apiece.
Freshman point guard
Kiara Croskey tallied six points, eight assists, and three steals.
Senior forward Morgan Graham led Fayetteville State (4-4) with 19 points and eight rebounds.
After a brief 4-4 tie, Francis Marion never trailed. A 10-4 run, with all 10 points coming from Richards, helped the Patriots extend their lead to 18-11 at the end of the first quarter. A 10-2 spurt to open the second period, pushed the margin to 15 points at 28-13. A pull-up jumper by Adams gave Francis Marion a 40-20 advantage enroute to a 40-25 halftime lead.
The Broncos trimmed the margin to 11 points (40-29) early in the third quarter, but Lee and Adams combined for a quick 5-0 run that extended the lead back to 16 points – the same margin FMU held at the end of the period (61-45).
The Patriots led by as many as 22 on three occasions in the final quarter.
FMU forced 22 turnovers and held a commanding 26-10 edge in points-off-turnovers.
Francis Marion shot 47.5 percent from the floor, including eight three-pointers, and was 14-of-18 at the free throw stripe. The Broncos were held to 40.0 percent shooting, including 0-for-12 from behind the three-point arc, and FSU hit 15-of-22 charity tosses.
