2008 Woodie Awards
Women's basketball team rebounds, re-enters NCAA Top 25 at No. 22
Kim Gailliard
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Sports
After defeating Clayton State University, 84-76, the women's basketball team re-entered the national rankings last week at the No. 22 position in the USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II Top 25 poll.
The team dropped out of the top 25 after suffering their second loss of the season Jan. 19 to Georgia College & State University, 84-90, but rebounded with a Jan. 26 win over Clayton State University, 84-76, and a 15-point Jan. 23 win against conference rival Augusta State University (ASU).
Junior guard Kevina Ransom scored 16 points, had nine assists and tallied seven steals in Francis Marion's 101-86 win over ASU on the first-ever white-out night. She led the nation in steals this season at press time and was named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week.
"Kevina has a tremendous amount of heart," Coach Heather Macy said. "She gets knocked down and she gets right back up and keeps going."
Ransom showed physical toughness throughout the game, as she was knocked around several times by the ASU Jaguars.
The ASU win marked the sixth game in which the Patriots have scored 100 points - the most since the 1987-88 season. At press time, the team had the highest scoring offense in NCAA Division II.
Coming into the game, ASU was one win behind FMU in conference play.
"ASU is a very talented team, and we're going to have to execute the game plan and play with a tremendous amount of intensity," Macy said prior to the game.
The Jaguars took an early lead. Minutes after tip off, however, the Patriots answered when senior forward Rita Grayson's three-pointer gave FMU a 10-8 advantage.
Ransom was one of six Patriots who scored in double figures. Grayson scored 10. Senior guard Brittany Young and junior forward Creshenda Singletary scored 17 points each.
Be the first to comment on this story