SPARTANBURG, SC – Sophomore guard Kiara Croskey scored a game-high 21 points and Francis Marion University drained a season-high equaling 10 three-pointers in a 77-66 road victory over Converse University, Thursday night (Feb. 12) in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action.
 
Francis Marion improves to 16-7 overall and 13-2 in conference play with its ninth straight win.  The Patriots will play at King University in Bristol, Tenn., on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Croskey connected on 9-of-17 field goal attempts, while also recording 10 rebounds, six assists, and five steals.  It was her fifth double-double of the season, and second in as many outings.
 
FMU junior guard MacKenzie Feagin hit 5-of-10 from behind the three-point arc for 15 points, while sophomore guard Jordan Mintz connected on a trio of three-pointers enroute to a career-high 13 points.  Feagin is a native of Effingham, S.C., and a product of Trinity Collegiate School.
 
Patriot junior Uriah Jennings added 12 points and freshman center Mariana Moody registered nine points, nine rebounds, and two blocked shots.
 
Guard Madison Fileen paced Converse (3-20, 2-13) with 17 points and five assists.
 
FMU raced to an early 7-3 lead, but Converse answered with an 8-0 run to assume an 11-7 advantage.  A trio of three-pointers, two by Feagin and one by Mintz fueled a 14-2 run to end the quarter as the Patriots stormed ahead 21-13.
 
A three-pointer by Feagin and a stick-back hoop by Terriana Gray extended the margin to 26-13 early in the second period.  A barrage of three-pointers (5) by the Valkyries allowed Converse to re-take the lead at 32-30 with a 19-4 run.  However, three-pointers by Feagin and Mintz and a free throw by Croskey accounted for a quarter-ending 7-0 spurt that gave FMU a 37-32 halftime lead.
 
Francis Marion, which had not made more than five three-pointers in any of its last 15 contests, went 7-for-13 from deep over the first 20 minutes.
 
A follow-up bucket by Croskey gave FMU a 44-34 lead early in the third quarter, but the Valkyries rallied to within 47-46 after a three-pointer by Skylar Ellison with 3:53 on the clock.  Two baskets by Croskey sparked an 8-4 Patriot spurt to end the period that produced a 55-50 margin.
 
Four straight points by Converse to open the fourth cut the deficit to 55-54 with 8:39 left in the game.  Francis Marion scored the next 11 points – five from Croskey and three-pointers by Feagin and Jennings – to take a commanding 66-54 advantage and the Patriots were able to hold on for the win.
 
FMU led 29-11 in second-chance points, aided by 23 offensive rebounds.
 
Francis Marion shot 38.4 percent from the floor, including 10-of-27 from behind the arc, and was 11-of-17 at the foul line.  Converse shot 40.7 percent, including 9-of-26 from deep, and was 9-of-12 on free throw attempts.