FLORENCE, SC - Senior forward Precious Tucker scored a season-high 18 points and Francis Marion University closed the first half on a 27-5 run to down local-rival Coker College 106-48, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 21) in women's college basketball action.

The Patriots remain unbeaten this season (3-0) and in non-conference games (17-0) in three seasons under head coach Heather Macy.  FMU also extends its series lead over Coker to 31-3, including nine straight wins.

Tucker also hauled down seven rebounds, while hitting on 9-of-13 shots.  Senior forward Nicole Mealing also came off the Patriot bench and tallied 17 points and six rebounds, while senior guard Eboni Fields scored 14 and Shana Franks and Shannon Singleton-Bates added 10 points apiece.  Point guards Robert Colbert and Monica Mann each dished out eight assists.

Senior forward Henna Koponen and sophomore guard Jasmine Alston led Coker (0-3) with nine points each, while 6-0 freshman center Jaime Birr added eight points off the Lady Cobra bench.

Francis Marion struggled in the early going as the Patriots missed on 13 of their first 17 shots from the floor and the score was deadlocked at 9-9 with 15:21 left before halftime.  FMU gradually pulled out to a 27-15 margin with 7:33 left on the clock.

Mealing and her younger sister Courtney Mealing then combined to score the next six points as Francis Marion used a 14-0 run to go ahead 41-15.  Altogether, FMU outscored Coker 27-5 over the final 7:33 to lead 54-20 at halftime.

In the second stanza, Francis Marion connected on 23-of-41 field goal attempts (56.1%) and was never threatened.  A layup by freshman guard Kristen Dickerson provided the game's final points, which equaled the largest lead of the day (58 points).

Francis Marion converted 44 Coker turnovers into 56 points and held a 70-18 advantage in points-in-the-paint.  The Patriots have now forced 150 turnovers in their opening three contests.

Francis Marion will play host to St. Augustine's College on Friday at 2 p.m., while Coker will entertain Erskine College on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

11-21-09 2 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 106, COKER COLLEGE 48
COKER COLLEGE (0-3)
ALSTON, Jasmine 3-7 3-4 9; KOPONEN, Henna 4-9 1-2 9; BIRR, Jamie 4-5 0-0 8;
BEAVERS, Kiesha 1-7 3-4 6; AALTONEN, Lotta 2-8 0-0 5; CASTREN, Maija 2-5 0-0
4; KIRBY, Cassie 1-5 0-0 3; BLOW, Alexis 1-3 0-0 2; THOMAS, Megan 1-3 0-0 2;
WILKINS, Ashley 0-0 0-0 0; RIENSTRA, HEIDI 0-1 0-0 0; STANCIAUSKAITE, AG 0-1
0-0 0; TYNDALL, Joanna 0-1 0-0 0; FISH, Lucy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 7-10 48.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (3-0)
Tucker, Precious 9-13 0-0 18; Mealing, Nicole 6-8 1-2 17; Fields, Eboni 6-14
0-0 14; Singleton-Bates, Sha 5-11 0-0 10; Franks, Shana 5-9 0-0 10; Mealing,
Courtney 4-5 0-0 8; Colbert, Robin 3-5 0-0 7; Trice, Simone 3-7 0-0 6;
Coleman, Dawn 3-8 0-0 6; Downs, Danelle 1-4 1-6 3; Wilson, Tiffany 1-3 1-2
3; Dickerson, Kristen 1-2 0-0 2; Imani, Ana 1-2 0-0 2; Mann, Monica 0-4 0-2
0. Totals 48-95 3-12 106.
Halftime: Francis Marion 54 Coker 20.
3-point goals--Coker College 3-11 (AALTONEN, Lotta 1-3; BEAVERS, Kiesha 1-1;
KIRBY, Cassie 1-5; BLOW, Alexis 0-1; ALSTON, Jasmine 0-1), Francis Marion
University 7-20 (Mealing, Nicole 4-5; Fields, Eboni 2-5; Colbert, Robin 1-1;
Mealing, Courtney 0-1; Trice, Simone 0-2; Coleman, Dawn 0-2; Imani, Ana 0-1;
Mann, Monica 0-1; Franks, Shana 0-2). Fouled out--Coker College-None,
Francis Marion University-None. Rebounds--Coker College 34 (AALTONEN, Lotta
5), Francis Marion University 54 (Tucker, Precious 7; Colbert, Robin 7).
Assists--Coker College 12 (ALSTON, Jasmine 4), Francis Marion University 31
(Mann, Monica 8; Colbert, Robin 8). Total fouls--Coker College 12, Francis
Marion University 14. Technical fouls--None. A-357
Charges drawn: Mann 2, Thomas, Rienstra, Birr