GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's basketball team (1-2) fell to Francis Marion (3-0) 63-66 Wednesday night inside Fleming Gymnasium after erasing a 13-point halftime deficit. The Spartans were led by senior Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) who had a season-high 26 points. India Timpton (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park) recorded her second double-double in three games with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Mariah Wilson (Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta) set career-highs in rebounds (10) and blocks (6) in a game.

The Spartans trailed early by three points but a 6-2 run gave UNCG a 9-6 lead with 6:29 on the clock. A back and forth battle ensued through the final minutes and Francis Marion held a two-point lead, 17-15, at the end of the first period.

Mason opened the second frame with a trey at 8:55 but a 12-2 run by the Patriots gave FMU a nine-point lead with 4:48 remaining in the first half. Timpton scored on a perfect look from Jazmine Missouri (Largo, Md./Academy of the Holy Cross) at 4:27 to bring the game within seven. UNCG wouldn't score again until a layup by Wilson with 38 seconds on the clock. FMU held a 13-point lead at the break outscoring the Spartans 37-24.

TeTe Flowers led Francis Marion with 12 points while Mason was UNCG's leading scorer with nine points and four rebounds. The Spartans shot just 29.6 percent from the field and made six-of-ten shots from the free throw line. FMU was 36.7 from the field including four-for-six from three-point range. The Patriots were impressive from the charity stripe shooting 84.6 percent going 11-for-13. FMU capitalized scoring 18 points off of 13 Spartan turnovers in the opening half.

Francis Marion held a double-digit lead for most of the third period but back-to-back baskets from downtown by Mason brought the game within four which would hold at the end of the frame as FMU led 50-46.

Two good free throws by Timpton made it a two-point game at 9:17 and less than a minute later Mason drained the go-ahead trey for a 51-50 UNCG lead. FMU would take the lead once more at 7:17 but Medena Bartley (Savannah, Ga./Beach) answered back with a layup for her first two points of the year.

Every time UNCG would score the Patriots answered back. Bartley once again put the Spartans on top with a shot from down low for a 61-59 lead with 3:56 to go. Missouri's layup with 3:18 left in regulation game UNCG its largest lead of the period, 63-59, but four consecutive free throws by Briana Burgins once again tied the game at 63-all with 58 seconds remaining.

Khayani Chandler put FMU ahead with a fast break layup with 29 seconds on the clock. Head coach Wendy Palmer called time out and the Spartans were able to advance the ball where Lucy Mason would get open but miss a jumper. FMU grabbed the rebound and Mason fouled with two seconds on the clock sending Burgins to the charity stripe one last time where she made one-of-two for a 66-63 lead which would hold.

The Spartans scored 12 points in the paint in the final period and four on a fast break. UNCG improved to shoot 48.4 from the floor and blocked six shots with Wilson leading the way. Mason went off in the second half with 17 points to be the only player to score in double figures over the last 20 minutes.

Mason's 26 points led all scorers but two other Spartans, Timpton and Shanese Harris (Chesapeak, Va./Western Branch) both logged double figures as well. Harris chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the loss.

It was a well-rounded scoring effort from FMU who saw five players score in double figures. Camille Dash has a game-high 13 points while Alaysia Watts had the only double-double for her team with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

FMU leads the all-time regular season series 1-0 as Wednesday night's game was the first meeting between the two squads.

UNCG has a quick turn around as the Spartans return home to Lynne Agee Court inside Fleming Gymnasium for a 2 p.m. tip-off against High Point Saturday, November 21.

-UNCG-