LIGHTS-OUT LADY PACERS RALLY FOR UPSET OF #18 FMU
USC AIKEN OVERCOMES A PAIR OF 16-POINT DEFICITS FOR 81-71 VICTORY

AIKEN, S.C.-- USC Aiken (13-6, 7-6 PBC) used a 34-8 run over the middle 10 minutes of the second half to rally from a 16-point deficit and upset 18th-ranked Francis Marion (16-3, 9-3 PBC) 81-71 in women’s Peach Belt Conference basketball on Wednesday evening at the Convocation Center.  It was the Lady Pacers’ second win over a Top 25 team in two tries this year, but their first at home since beating #1 California (Pa.) 77-68 on November 26, 2004.  (PHOTO BY: Ginny Southworth)

The Lady Pacers snapped the Patriots’ five-game winning streak while handing FMU its largest margin of defeat this season.  USCA improved to 6-8 against ranked teams under sixth-year head coach Mike Brandt. 

USC Aiken failed to find their shooting touch early, connecting on only five of their first 15 attempts.  Francis Marion cashed in, using an 18-4 run to blow open an 8-7 game into a 26-11 spread with 9:13 left in the first half. 

Senior guard Brittany Young picked Triahna Harris’ pocket and then converted two free throws to give the Patriots their largest lead, 34-18, with 4:57 on the clock.  But after a frigid start, the Lady Pacers settled in, converting 8-of-10 from the floor, pulling within 41-34 at the break thanks to a 16-7 spurt over the final five minutes. 

The final frame began well for USC Aiken, as they scored the opening three points to trim the deficit to 41-37 just 40 seconds in.  Francis Marion, however, ripped of 12-straight to equal their largest lead at 53-37 with 15:25 to play on a pair of Jennifer Dyer free throws. 

Dyer finished with a career-best 22 to lead Francis Marion while Young was also in double figures with 14. 

Seemingly without momentum, or an answer for the Patriot pressure, Avonte Williams converted back-to-back fastbreak lay-ups to ignite a 15-0 response to the FMU run, drawing within a single point at 53-52 with 11:32 left on Nakia Pinkney’s lay-up. 

Pinkney and Harris, both freshmen guards, provided huge minutes off the bench for Brandt, combining for 11 points and six assists in 33 minutes of action.  

After missing 10-straight shots, Francis Marion got an offensive stick-back by Shannon Singleton-Bates to halt the run.  The stemming of the tide was momentary, however, as Jordon Thomas drained two charity tosses at the 9:11 mark to give USC Aiken its first lead of the game 58-57.  The Lady Pacers finished off the decisive 34-8 run that began at the 15:25 mark and concluded with a Pinkney fastbreak lay-up with 5:23 left. 

During the span, Francis Marion was 4-of-21 from the floor, finishing 26-of-78 for the game (33.3 percent).

The Patriots were unable to threaten again as USC Aiken ran its mark to 30-1 over the past two years when leading with 5:00 to play. 

Francis Marion attempted 34 more shots than the Lady Pacers, but USC Aiken was more efficient, connecting on 25-of-44 for 56.8 percent.  USCA also was 29-of-38 at the stripe for 76.3 percent and out rebounded the Patriots 44-35.  FMU did force 29 turnovers, but that was still an improvement over the 43 USC Aiken committed in the January 9 loss in Florence. 

Meredith Legg finished 6-of-11 from the field for a team-best 19 points to go with seven rebounds.  Williams scored 11 of her 13 in the second half while Thomas tallied her second career double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  Megan Starnes posted her fifth-straight double figure scoring night with 10 while Morgan Johnson flirted with a triple double, scoring eight, pulling down 13 boards, and tying a school record with seven blocks. 

USC Aiken continues its three-game homestand on Saturday, February 9 when the Lady Pacers host North Georgia for “Homecoming 2008” at 5:30 PM.  Francis Marion travels to face Georgia Southwestern, also on Saturday, at 2:00 PM.

Newspaper Box Score
Francis Marion vs USC Aiken
02/06/08 5:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (Convocation Center)

USC AIKEN 81, #18 FRANCIS MARION 71

#18 FRANCIS MARION (16-3, 9-3 PBC)
Dyer, Jennifer 7-15 5-7 22; Young, Brittany 5-14 3-4 14; Allen, Ebony 3-7 3-3 9; Dixon, Yasmean 2-6 2-2 6; Singleton-Bates, Sha 3-10 0-0 6; Morgan, Shaquana 2-2 0-2 5; Ransom, Kevina 2-6 1-2 5; Ruff, Evelyn 1-4 0-0 2; Singletary,Creshenda 1-8 0-0 2; Downer, Shonelle 0-0 0-0 0; Grayson, Rita 0-6 0-0 0. Totals 26-78 14-20 71.

USC AIKEN (13-6, 7-6 PBC)
Legg, Meredith 6-11 5-6 19; Thomas, Jordon 3-7 7-10 13; Williams, Avonte 5-8 3-6 13; Starnes, Megan 3-3 4-4 10; Johnson, Morgan 2-6 4-4 8; Harris, Triahna 1-3 5-6 7; Leppanen, Satu 3-4 0-0 6; Pinkney, Nakia 2-2 0-0 4; Broadwater, LaToshia 0-0 1-2 1; Norman, Marissa 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-44 29-38 81.

#18 Francis Marion.......   41   30  -   71
USC Aiken.....................   34   47  -   81

3-point goals--Francis Marion 5-23 (Dyer, Jennifer 3-9; Young, Brittany 1-3; Morgan, Shaquana 1-1; Ransom, Kevina 0-2; Ruff, Evelyn 0-3; Singletary,Creshenda 0-3; Grayson, Rita 0-2), USC Aiken 2-7 (Legg, Meredith 2-6; Williams, Avonte 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-Young, Brittany; Dyer, Jennifer, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 35 (Morgan, Shaquana 5; Grayson, Rita 5; Singleton-Bates, Sha 5; Allen, Ebony 5), USC Aiken 44 (Johnson, Morgan 13). Assists--Francis Marion 14 (Ransom, Kevina 5), USC Aiken 21 (Harris, Triahna 5; Williams, Avonte 5). Total fouls--Francis Marion 29, USC Aiken 17. Technical fouls--Francis Marion-None, USC Aiken-None. A-885.

BOXSCORE