DAHLONEGA, GA – Francis Marion University received double-digit scoring from all five starters and the fourth-seeded Patriots rallied from a second-half deficit to force overtime, but FMU eventually lost to fifth-seeded Columbus State University 89-83, Friday night (March 14) in the opening-round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament.
 
Francis Marion ends its season with a 23-7 record, the team's third consecutive 20-win campaign.
 
Senior forward Kiana Lee led FMU with 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.  In the process the North Augusta, S.C., native passed Cassandra Bishop for 20th place on the Patriot all-time scoring list with 1,256. 
 
Junior Trinity Adams tallied 18 points and 13 rebounds to notch her seventh double-double of the year.  Senior guard Jada Richards scored 14 points as did freshman point guard Kiara Croskey, who also handed out a team-high six assists.  Sophomore center Trinity Delaney added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
 
Olonna Rawls paced Columbus State (21-8) with 30 points and eight rebounds, while Bre'Lyn Snipes registered 23 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Croskey forced the extra session when she drove to the basket and converted a three-point player with 29 seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 74-74.  On the final possession, Rawls had a chance to win it for the Cougars, but her lay-up attempt hung on the rim before falling off.
 
In the extra session, a jumper by Delaney gave Francis Marion a 76-74 advantage.  The lead would change hands several times before an inside hoop by Lee tied it at 80-80 with 1:29 on the clock.  A three-point play by Rawls put Columbus State ahead for good, and four straight free throws by CSU over the next 25 seconds sealed the outcome.
 
Francis Marion connected on 44.7 percent of its field goal attempts and was 10-of-17 at the foul line.  Columbus State shot 41.3 percent from the floor, including making 11 three-pointers, and was 16-of-21 at the free throw stripe.
 
The Patriots took an early 10-5 lead after a three-point play by Delaney.  CSU quickly tied the contest with five straight points.  The Cougars snapped a 12-12 deadlock with seven straight points and would hold a 21-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
A fast-break lay-in by Lee to open the second-period scoring brought FMU to within 21-19.  A second lay-up by Lee again cut the deficit to two (24-22), but CSU answered with a 5-0 run and would later stretch the margin to 33-26.  Francis Marion rallied with six straight points, the final two on a jumper by Lee to trail 33-32 with 3:38 left before halftime.
 
Columbus State responded with a 13-5 spurt that produced a 46-37 lead and the Cougars would hold a 46-40 margin at halftime.
 
The Patriots would twice cut the lead to two in the third period, and eventually to a single point (60-59) as Adams scored on a lay-in to end the third quarter scoring.
 
Francis Marion finally regained the lead at 63-62 after two free throws by Croskey with 7:31 left.  Two minutes later, Lee pushed the margin to 66-63 with a lay-up.  CSU scored the next five points before Lee's jumper in the paint knotted things at 68-68.
 
CSU's Kristyn Goshay and Richards traded three-pointers before Snipes hit a three-pointer with 35 ticks on the clock to give CSU a 74-71 lead setting the stage for Croskey's game-tying three-point play.