FERRUM, Va. – Ferrum College dropped a Conference Carolinas women's basketball game to Francis Marion University, falling 77-66 tonight at Swartz Gym.

RECORDS
Francis Marion 17-8, 14-3 CC
Ferrum 9-17, 7-11 CC

THE BASICS
Sofia Ponce drained a pair of three-pointers early in the game, and Taryn Blankenship made an impossible layup to put the Panthers on top 8-2 in the first two and a half minutes of play. Francis Marion went on a 7-0 run to grab a 9-8 lead at 6:14, but Kleiauna Riddick hit a three and Maslyn Mosbacher had back-to-back threes and the Panthers went back out in front 17-13 at the 3:23 mark, then led 17-16 after one quarter.
 
MacKenzie Feagin hit a three to open the second quarter and make it a 19-17 Francis Marion lead, but Dezariyah Clark had a jumper and Breyana Kimmons hit a three for a 22-19 lead. Blankenship's layup at 5:18 made it a 33-29 Ferrum lead. The Patriots battled back over the next four minutes and took a 38-34 lead. Allyson Cassell made a layup in the final two minutes of the half to cut the lead to 38-36 at the break.
 
Riddick and Ponce had back-to-back baskets to open the third quarter and put Ferrum in front 40-38. FMU opened a 45-43 lead midway through the third quarter. The Patriots used a big run at the end of the third quarter to take a 55-47 lead after three.
 
Mariana Moody's layup at 7:30 of the fourth quarter put Francis Marion up by 13 points, 53-50. Ferrum battled back to get the lead down to eight points on Kimmon's jumper at 3:42 to make it a 69-61 game, but FMU extended the lead back to 11 points in the next few minutes. Mosbacher's layup at 2:20 cut the lead to 73-64, and the scored remained there until 1:11 when Terriana Gray made a layup, was fouled and hit the ensuing free throw to make it a 76-64 game and the Patriots held on for the league road win.

KEY STATS
FMU: Moody 16 pts, 8 reb; Gray 16 pts, 8 reb: Kiara Croskey 12 pts; Uriah Jennings 12 pts; Jordan Mintz 12 pts
Ferrum: Kimmons 16 pts; Clark 13 pts; Ponce 12 pts

UP NEXT
Coach Bryan Harvey's team will be back in action Saturday, February 21, at Young Harris College. The Conference Carolinas doubleheader is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. women's game and the men to follow at 4:00 p.m. in Young Harris, Georgia.