Francis Marion too much on road for Lady Braves

By Kelly Mayo
Sports Writer

Phto by Nick Faulkner

Lady Brave Briana Stanton drives towards the basket in a game earlier this season. Stanton finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in UNCP's loss to Francis Marion on Feb. 2.

Francis Marion guards Shannon Singleton-Bates and Courtney Mealing scored a combined 53 points to power the Lady Patriots past rival UNCP at the Smith University Center Feb. 2 in Francis Marion's 75-60 win. 

Singleton-Bates, a senior, went 10-18 from the field. 

She also made six free throws and three three-point shots and scored 29 points. 

Mealing finished 9-15 from the field. She added five three-point shots, totaling 24 points. 

Francis Marion kept the pressure on by outscoring the Black and Gold by 10 in the first half and by five in the second half. 

On UNCP's side, senior forwards JaToya Kemp and Briana Stanton each scored 19 points. 

Kemp went 7-8 from the field. She also added five free throws and grabbed four rebounds. 

Stanton went 4-9 from the field and led the Lady Braves in free throws and rebounds with 11 and 10, respectively. 

UNCP and Francis Marion's field goal percentages were about even at 44.4 percent and 45.2 percent, respectively. 

However, the Lady Braves edged the Lady Patriots in free throw accuracy. 

UNCP was 67.9 percent in the free throw category, while Francis Marion shot 57.9 percent from the stripe. 

The Lady Patriots' win extended their six-game winning streak and kept them in third place in the Peach Belt Conference. Their record is now 14-5 overall and 7-4 in conference. 

UNCP's loss dropped them below Armstrong Atlantic State to fifth place in the PBC. Its record is now 8-12 overall and 4-8 in conference.