Box Score FLORENCE, S.C. -- Francis Marion outscored Augusta State 8-3 in overtime Wednesday night and knocked off the previously undefeated Lady Jaguars 81-76 in Peach Belt Conference action at Smith University Center.
With the loss, ASU slipped to 8-1 on the season and 2-1 in the PBC, while the Patriots improved to 6-3 overall and 1-2 in the conference. Despite the setback, the 8-1 start still marked the best in program history for the Lady Jags.
ASU junior Jemimah Ashby matched her career-high with 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting and senior forward Taylor Ayers booked her third double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Tiara Gause paced five Patriots in double figures with 18 points while Dee Gray tallied 16 points and 15 rebounds. Jasmine Williams-Hayes posted 14 points and eight boards, Kristen Dickerson added 11 points and Camille Dash chipped in 10.
ASU led 34-26 at the half and pushed its lead to as much as 22 after opening the second half on a 14-0 run in the first 3:07. The Patriots responded with 11 straight points to cut their deficit in half before ASU stemmed the tied with buckets from Eryka Menzies and Ayers. FMU then rattled off a 15-0 run over a span of 4:05 as ASU combined seven straight misses from the field with five turnovers.
In a contest that featured nine ties and 11 lead changes, Ashby scored eight points down the stretch to keep ASU within reach. Ashby,
Tanchelle Hollingsworth and
Brittany White all canned a pair of free throws in the final 1:26. After Williams-Hayes hit 1-of-2 at the charity stripe for a 73-71 FMU lead, the Patriots fouled Ashby with :01 left in regulation. She connected on both free throws to force overtime.
The Lady Jags shot 49.2 percent from the field and outrebounded FMU 47-38. The Patriots forced 28 turnovers and hit three 3-pointers, all in the second half, to just one trey from the Lady Jags.
ASU travels to Pembroke, N.C., on Saturday, Jan. 5 to take on UNC Pembroke in a PBC matchup at 5:30 p.m., in English E. Jones Center.
