Keith got off to a quick start then overcame its own mistakes to finish strong in a 65-51 win over Francis Marion on Friday.

The Bears opened the game by scoring the game’s first 12 points before an Artinish Mclaughlin layup put the Rams on the board with only 1:25 left in the quarter.

Her layup sparked the Rams in the next frame. Trailing 14-5, Tamera Sawyer and Antoinette Washington hit 3-pointers to spark the Rams to an 11-2 run to tie the game at 16.

“I don’t know if we let our guard down or got comfortable,” said Keith coach Cecil Williams. “

But Angelica Dukes answered with a 3-pointer to put Keith back on top at 19-16, and the Bears’ kept the Rams at arm’s length the rest of the way to take a 30-26 lead into halftime.

Keith maintained the lead through the third period, but couldn’t put Francis Marion away. But the doubt would be removed in the fourth quarter.

A 15-4 Bear run capped by an Alexus Young 3-point play put Keith ahead for good at 59-43. The Bears coasted the rest of the way for the win.

“When they went into a man-to-man defense, we just started dropping down low to our big girls,” said Williams.

Young led the Bears with 24 points, and Dukes added 15.

Despite the lopsided score, three Rams finished in double figures. Noadria Pettway led Francis Marion with 15 points. Lameisha Gray chipped in 12, and Katnice James finished with 11.