ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Paine College women's basketball team defeated Fort Lauderdale 79-60 Monday evening in the NCCAA South Regional.

The Lady Lions are now 5-18 on the season.

Head coach Kisha Lucette's team was paced by Leia Brown's 17-points and five rebounds. Adia Dormu notched a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards while Kyra McCrary also had a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Jayla Dendy added 13 points.

Zakarah Powell had nine points while Amaria Wright chipped in six points and six assists. Daiyah Ruger had two points and three assists while Tamyria Countryman dished out three assists in the win.

Leading 12-8, McCrary hit a jumper. A pair of free throws by her pushed the margin to eight, 16-8. Up 16-13, Ruger and Dormu hit foul shots in the closing seconds of the first period for a 20-13 advantage.

PC led by 12 midway through the second period before holding a 41-32 edge at the break.

Dormu hit a jumper and Brown canned a three-ball early in the third stanza. Another shot from distance from Brown, a free throw by Dendy and a lay-up by Dendy extended the margin to 52-32with 6:02 to play in the third quarter. The visitors pulled within 11, but that was as close as the team could get.

Lucette's team pushed the lead to as much as 22 in the waning moments of the opening-round victory.

For the game, PC hit 30-of-68 from the floor and 17-of-26 from the charity stripe. The team pulled down 50 rebounds and dished out 21 assists.

Lucette's team had 36 points in the paint and scored 21 points of turnovers. PC also had 18 points off the bench.

The Lady Lions will play at Clinton College Tuesday at 7 p.m.