FLORENCE, SC -- Despite a valiant effort from the Fayetteville State Broncos, they fell to the Francis Marion Patriots 80-59 on the road Monday. The Broncos, now 4-4, were led by Morgan Graham, who delivered a strong performance with 19 points and eight rebounds. Talia Trotter also contributed significantly with 12 points, while Nyah Wilkins added three points.

The Patriots, improving to 6-1, were propelled by standout performances from Jada Richards and Kiana Lee. Richards scored 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and added three rebounds, three steals, and an assist. Lee added 19 points, nine rebounds, and two assists.

Fayetteville State struggled to find their rhythm early, trailing 18-11 at the end of the first quarter and facing a 40-25 deficit at halftime. Despite their efforts to close the gap, the Broncos were unable to overcome the Patriots' strong play, falling further behind to 61-45 by the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Francis Marion extended their lead to 74-52 before Fayetteville State managed a brief 5-0 run. However, the Patriots quickly regained control and finished the game strong, outscoring the Broncos to secure the 80-59 win. The Broncos defense forced 15 turnovers, converting them into 10 points, and their bench contributed 20 points, but it wasn't enough to defeat the Patriots.

The Broncos will take a short break and return on Wednesday, December 11th in Columbia, SC to play Benedict at 5:30 PM.  Follow all the action on fsubroncos.com/gameday