HARTSVILLE, SC - Junior guard Shana Franks scored a game-high 22 points in her first start and five other Patriots joined her in double figures as Francis Marion University overcame a slow start to claim a 99-60 win over Coker College, Friday afternoon (Dec. 12) in non-conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 6-0 for the first time since the 1998-99 season when Patriots opened 9-0 and finished 27-3 en route to an appearance in the NCAA II Sweet 16.  FMU opens its Peach Belt Conference schedule on Monday against North Georgia College & State University at 5:30 p.m. in the Smith University Center.

The Patriots came within one point of setting a school record with their fifth consecutive 100-point contest.

Franks hit on 9-of-11 shots, including all three of her three-point attempts, and 18 of her points came in the opening 20 minutes.  Senior forward Creshenda Singletary scored 12 points in her action of the 2008-09 season, while sophomores Robin Colbert and Shannon Singleton-Bates each scored 11, and senior guard Kevina Ransom and junior Eboni Fields added 10 apiece.

Singleton-Bates hauled down a game-high nine rebounds, while Colbert came up with seven steals.

Junior forward Henna Koponen led Coker (1-6) with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Lotta Aaltonen added 11 points.

Looking slightly rusty after a 12-day layoff for exams, Francis Marion fell behind 16-4 with 14:51 left in the first half.  However, the Patriots quickly reserved that trend and outscored the Cobras 44-10 over the remainder of the half.  Franks contributed nine points to a 15-0 FMU run that gave the Patriots the lead for good.

In the second stanza, Francis Marion shot 56.4 percent from the floor and was never threatened.  FMU's largest lead (45 points) came at 93-48 following a Singletary basket with 5:15 left.

Using its pressure defense, Francis Marion forced 32 Coker turnovers and converted them in to 40 points.

12-12-08 2 p.m. at Hartsville, SC (Timberlake-Lawton Gym)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 99, COKER COLLEGE 60

FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (6-0)
Franks, Shana 9-11 1-6 22; Singletary,Creshenda 5-10 0-0 12;
Singleton-Bates, Sha 5-11 1-2 11; Colbert, Robin 3-8 4-6 11; Ransom, Kevina
5-8 0-1 10; Fields, Eboni 4-11 0-0 10; Powell, Dominique 4-8 1-2 9; Dyer,
Jennifer 3-7 0-0 7; Downs, Danelle 2-3 3-4 7; Wheatland, Keahna 0-0 0-0 0;
Kiefer, Katherine 0-0 0-0 0; Morgan, Shaquana 0-1 0-0 0; Howze, Tenisha 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 40-78 10-21 99.
COKER COLLEGE (1-6)
Henna Koponen 6-10 4-4 16; Lotta Aaltonen 5-10 0-0 11; Jessica Hayes 4-9 1-3
9; Skip Gibson 2-6 1-2 6; Megan Thomas 2-6 2-4 6; Jasmine Alston 1-2 1-2 4;
Carletta Taylor 1-2 2-2 4; Maija Castren 1-2 0-0 2; Heidi Rienstra 0-4 2-2
2; Ashley Wilkins 0-0 0-0 0; AG Stanciauskaite 0-1 0-0 0; Nicole Jordon 0-0
0-0 0; Alexis Blow 0-1 0-0 0; Keisha Beavers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 13-19
60.
Halftime: Francis Marion  48 Coker  26.
3-point goals--Francis Marion University 9-22 (Franks, Shana 3-3; Fields,
Eboni 2-8; Singletary,Creshenda 2-4; Dyer, Jennifer 1-4; Colbert, Robin 1-2;
Singleton-Bates, Sha 0-1), Coker College 3-6 (Lotta Aaltonen 1-2; Jasmine
Alston 1-1; Skip Gibson 1-1; Alexis Blow 0-1; Jessica Hayes 0-1). Fouled
out--Francis Marion University-None, Coker College-Jessica Hayes.
Rebounds--Francis Marion University 37 (Singleton-Bates, Sha 9), Coker
College 41 (Henna Koponen 8). Assists--Francis Marion University 14 (Ransom,
Kevina 4; Colbert, Robin 4), Coker College 9 (Lotta Aaltonen 3; Megan Thomas
3). Total fouls--Francis Marion University 21, Coker College 20. Technical
fouls--Francis Marion University-None, Coker College-Jessica Hayes. A-100