GREENWOOD – Francis Marion took over sole possession of first place in the Peach Belt Conference women's basketball standings with a record-setting 113-103 victory over Lander Wednesday night at Finis Horne Arena.

Francis Marion improved to 14-2 overall and 7-2 in the PBC. The Lady Bearcats fell to 13-7, 7-3.

The game more than lived up to its expected offensive output. The Lady Patriots were leading the nation with 94.5 points per game coming into Wednesday's action while Lander was also among the nation's leaders with 88.6 points per game. Both teams upped their per game averages and set a Peach Belt record for combined points in a game with 216. The previous record of 204 points was set in Lander's 107-97 victory at Georgia College & State University on Jan. 12.

Brittany Young led Francis Marion with 22 points, Shannon Singleton Bates scored 19 points, Ebony Allen added 17 points, Yasmean Dixon scored 16 points, and Jennifer Dyer added 10 points. Shaquanna Morgan had 10 assists while Singleton-Bates led the Lady Patriots with eight rebounds.

Lander's Tiara Good led all scorers with 33 points, making 12 of 22 shots from the floor and nine of 10 free throws. LaShonda Chiles added 20 points, Stephanie Ponds scored 16 points, and Shannon McKever added 13 points. Kianna Smith led the Lady Bearcats with nine rebounds and nine assists.

Both teams shot better than 50 percent for the game with Francis Marion making 43 of 80 shots (54 percent) and the Lady Bearcats hitting 37 of 72 (51 percent). The Lady Patriots made 25 of 30 free throws (83 percent) and two of 13 from behind the 3-point line (15 percent). Lander struggled from the free-throw line, making 26 of 40 (65 percent). The Lady Bearcats were also uncharacteristically quiet from behind the arc, making only three of 11 (27 percent).

The Lady Bearcats scored more points in the first half (56) than they did in their entire game last Saturday when they lost 66-52 to Armstrong Atlantic. Lander's lead was 56-49 at the break.

Good hit three free throws after getting fouled behind the arc and added a jumper to give Lander its biggest of the game at 63-51 early in the second half, completing a 12-2 run dating back to late in the first half.

But Francis Marion went on a 26-11 run to take its first lead of the game. Dyer's basket with 12:55 left gave the Lady Patriots a 75-74 lead and she scored again for a 77-74 advantage. Good hit two free throws to put Lander back on top, 78-77, at the 11:55 mark. But Francis Marion went on an 8-2 run for an 85-80 lead.

Good's lay-up pulled Lander into an 88-all tie with 7:10 to go. The Lady Patriots scored the next four points before Ponds converted a three-point play and Tierra Kirkland hit a free throw to tie the game at 92 with 4:12 left. Allen's two free throws gave Francis Marion a 94-92 lead at the 4:02 mark and Morgan's put-back basket made it 96-93 with 3:22 left.

Good's lay-up pulled the Lady Bearcats within 96-95 with 3:10 remaining. Dyer hit two free throws and Dixon added two more to push Francis Marion's lead to 100-95 at the 2:56 mark. Morgan's lay-up gave the Lady Patriots their largest lead of the game at 102-96 with 2:18 to go. Allen made a lay-up, Morgan added one free throw, and Young hit two more for a 107-96 lead with 1:12 left.

Chiles hit a lay-up with 1:02 to go as the teams surpassed the PBC record for points in a game. Good hit a lay-up with 41 seconds left as Lander joined Francis Marion over the century mark, trailing 109-101. Dyer answered with a lay-up to give the Lady Patriots their double-figure lead again as they closed out the 10-point victory.

The Lady Bearcats shot 61 percent (23 for 38) in the first half and led throughout. But the lead stayed in single figures. Lander twice led by as many as nine. TaSheba Butler's two free throws gave the Lady Bearcats a 17-8 lead at the 15:25 mark. Francis Marion got within four points twice. Lander went back up by nine, 34-25, on a basket by Ponds with 8:35 left.

Francis Marion closed within 36-33 with 6:56 remaining on Dixon's jumper. Dixon scored again at the three-minute mark and the Lady Patriots were within one, 44-43. Dixon's sixth basket of the first half pulled Francis Marion within 51-49. But the Lady Bearcats closed the half with the final five points with Smith hitting two free throws and Chiles hitting a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Good, Chiles and McKever were a combined 16-for-24 from the floor in the first half, totaling 35 points. Francis Marion also shot well in the first half, hitting 23 of 43 (54 percent).