ST. AUGUSTINE – Francis Marion University blistered the baskets shooting 63.2% (12-19) in the second half to escape Flagler College with a 53-50 in Saturday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game at Flagler Gymnasium.

Francis Marion snapped a seven-game losing streak and improved to 7-16 overall and 4-10 in the Peach Belt's East Division. The Patriots are now in a three-way tie for fifth place, just one game back of fourth place. Francis Marion also swept the season series against Flagler. Flagler had its two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 7-14 overall and 4-10 in conference play. The Saints are one of the other teams in that logjam.

Courtney Wood led a balanced scoring attack for Francis Marion with 12 points, all coming in the first half. Khayani Chandler added nine points while Briana Burgins grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and added two assists, two blocked shots and three steals.

The Patriots forced 18 Saints turnovers and traded those in for 17 points. Francis Marion only had 19 offensive possessions in the second half as opposed to the 32 in the first half.

Treva Mason recorded her ninth double-double of the season with a game-high 15 points and a season-high 17 rebounds. Teosha Ray recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Allie Mano tallied 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Saints out-rebounded the Patriots 45-35 and corralled 20 offensive rebounds which led to 19 second chance points.

The game was tight throughout with four ties and 13 lead changes.

Francis Marion held a 23-22 lead at the half.

Mason gave the Saints a 26-25 lead with a layup with 17:56 left, but the Patriots answered with a 13-6 run and never trailed again.

A Stephanie Brown basket with 29 seconds left staked Francis Marion to a 51-46 lead. But Ray was fouled with 25 seconds left and she sank both free throws. A steal by Mason led to another foul and she made both free throw attempts and Flagler trailed 51-50 with 16 seconds left.

Mason fouled Cy'erra Mills with eight seconds left and she sank both free throws and a desperation half-court shot by the Saints was wide of the basket.

Flagler steps back out on the round next week with a game at Georgia Regents University Augusta on Wednesday (Feb. 11) at 5:30 p.m.