FLORENCE, SC - Sophomore guard Kiara Croskey sparked the Francis Marion University women's basketball team to a 78-72 Conference Carolinas victory over Chowan University on Tuesday night (Feb. 10) at the Smith University Center, pouring in a career-high 35 points.
 
The Patriots rise to 15-7 overall and 12-1 in conference, while the Hawks fall to an 11-8 overall record and 9-6 in league play. FMU will travel to Converse University to face the Valkyries on Thursday at 5 p.m.
 
Along with her 35 points, Croskey also tallied 10 rebounds, seven steals, and five assists. She went 18-of-20 from the free throw line, setting new school records in both categories.  The old marks were 15 made free throws by Fenissa Rice against Pembroke State University on Dec. 1, 1990, and 19 attempts by Kim Slawson against Georgia Southwestern College on March 5, 1986.  Croskey was also 8-of-16 from the field. Her 35 points are the most by a Patriot in six seasons, dating back to a 36-point outing by Kiana Adderton against Flagler College in 2020.
 
Other impact players for FMU included sophomore guard Terriana Gray, who had 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, six boards, and four steals, and junior guard Uriah Jennings tallied 10 points and six rebounds.
 
In the opening quarter, FMU controlled the glass early and set the pace with a 6-0 lead before Chowan responded with a 5-0 run. Croskey and Gray added points at the stripe around the midway mark before Croskey followed with a floater in the lane to give FMU a 13-12 lead. Junior forward Jasmine Grant chipped in a layup, and sophomore guard Angel Walker closed the period with a bucket to give the Patriots a narrow 19-18 edge.
 
Freshman forward Mariana Moody opened the second quarter for FMU with a put-back, then Croskey followed by sinking two free throws and burying a three on the next possession after a Hawks turnover to forge a 26-18 lead.  Grant and Gray each added layups to stretch the Patriots' advantage to double digits at 30-20.
 
Jennings connected on a turnaround jumper at the 1:58 mark before Gray sealed the period at the free-throw line to send FMU into halftime leading 34-26.
 
The Patriots were the first to strike in the third thanks to Jennings with a fast break lay-in and sophomore guard Jordan Mintz nailed a three to increase the lead to 11. Croskey scored four-straight points from the line to make the score 46-34. Although Chowan chipped away and cut the deficit to six, Croskey repeatedly halted the momentum by attacking the rim and converting free throws. Walker, Croskey, and Mintz made their free throws to ensure the lead going into the fourth with a score of 55-43.
 
Jennings, Croskey, and Gray contributed in the paint with floaters and fastbreak pushes in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Gray scored six and Croskey four in a 10-0 spurt that upped the margin to 18 points at 67-49.  Chowan rallied to within eight before Jennings made a floater with 45 ticks left. Croskey iced the decision with a pair of free throws with five seconds left for the six-point margin.
 
FMU shot 28-of-33 free throws overall, whereas CU hit 13-of-19. Francis Marion finished at 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the floor, while Chowan finished with 40.9 percent (27-of-66) shooting.