FLORENCE, S.C. – The King University women's basketball team ran into a hot shooting Francis Marion University team on Friday night. The Patriots shot better than 50 percent from the floor and used a run early in the second quarter to gain separation as the Tornado fell 89-70.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Francis Marion 89, King 70
LOCATION: Smith University Center; Florence, S.C.
RECORDS: King 4-2, 3-1 Conference Carolinas; Francis Marion 2-4, 1-3 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- The teams traded baskets early as Francis Marion held the advantage for the majority of the opening period.
- King came back from a 9-4 deficit with a Trinity Lee three-point basket and jump shot before a Brianna Dunbar free throw pulled King within 11-10 midway through the quarter.
- Consecutive baskets from Desiree Bates and Ryleigh Fritz evened the score at 14 before the Patriots scored six straight points.
- Bates made a pair of free throws and a layup before Francis Marion scored the final points of the quarter to take a 22-18 lead.
Second Period
- The Patriots scored the first 19 points of the second quarter and shot 63.2 percent in the stanza to outscore King 27-12.
- Jaden Potts made the first Tornado field goal of the quarter with 2:38 remaining and Jhada McKinney later made a three-point basket.
- The other King points came at the free throw line as the Tornado trailed 49-30 at the half.
- Along with shooting well, Francis Marion was tough on the boards in the first half, outrebounding King 23-11 in the opening 20 minutes.
- King was outscored 30-10 in the paint in the first half.
Third Period
- King tried to work their way back early in the third quarter with back-to-back baskets from Dunbar and Alexa Gramann.
- Lee and Dunbar connected on consecutive three-point baskets to pull King within 53-40 two minutes in the period.
- However, Francis Marion responded with six straight points to extend their lead.
- The Patriots held their lead around 20 points the remainder of the period, taking a 72-51 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Period
- After Francis Marion opened up their largest lead of the game, King made a run late, but it wasn't enough as the Tornado fell 89-80.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Lee led King with 18 points and six rebounds.
- Dunbar followed with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists.
FOR THE FOES
- Francis Marion shot 53.7 percent in the contest, outrebounded King 47-30 and scored 56 points in the paint.
- Zaria Woods led five Patriots in double figures with 17 points and six rebounds. She shot 8-for-11 from the floor.
- Scarlett Gilmore and Kiana Lee added 12 points each.
- Aniyah Oliver led the team with eight rebounds and nine assists to go along with seven points.
UP NEXT
- King stays on the road to take on UNC Pembroke on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
- Francis Marion hosts Lees-McRae College on Saturday afternoon.
