FLORENCE, S.C. – Sophomore forward Shonelle Downer scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Francis Marion University to a come-from-behind 74-59 Peach Belt Conference win over Lander University, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 28) in women's action.

Francis Marion (8-9, 6-5) snaps a three-game skid in conference play, while Lander (4-13, 0-10) is still looking for its first PBC victory of the year.

Downer, whose previous career high was 12 points, sank nine-of-14 field goals attempts and seven-of-eight free throws.  The 6-0 Columbia native entered the game shooting only 53.8 percent from the foul line.  Twenty of her points came in the second stanza as the Patriots rallied from a 34-31 halftime deficit.

Following Downer, freshman forward Katherine Kiefer came off the Patriot bench to tally 15 points, while sophomore point guard Brittany Young scored 13 points and handed out a career-high equaling 11 assists.  Sophomore center Shavone Mack added six points, four blocked shots, and a career-high 12 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Jennifer Hukill led the Lady Bearcats with 23 points, including a seven-of-11 showing from behind the three-point arc.  Fellow backcourt mate Shatora Irby scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.

After FMU scored the game's first two baskets, Hukill went to work.  Her 15 points on five three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes staked Lander to a 34-31 halftime advantage.

The Lander lead would grow to seven points (42-35) following another Hukill trey with 16:22 left.  The Lady Bearcats still clung to a five-point margin (56-51) with 7:26 remaining.  Downer then started a 17-0 FMU run with a three-point play, a run during which Downer scored 13 points.  That spurt put the Patriots up 68-56 with 1:49 left.  Lander, which dressed only seven players, missed 11 of its final 12 field goal attempts.

In the decisive second half, Francis Marion shot 56 percent from the floor, while holding Lander to 26.7 percent.  FMU, which managed only three free throw attempts in Wednesday's loss at USC Upstate, was 18 of 24 from the stripe on Saturday.

Francis Marion will play at conference-leading North Georgia College & State University on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m., while Lander travels to Clayton State University, also on Wednesday.