Senior Dawn Coleman scored a career-high 19 points to lead six players in double figures as 22nd-ranked Francis Marion University cruised past winless Allen University 122-47, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 28) in women's basketball action.

All 12 Patriots who dressed for the contest played at least 12 minutes and everyone scored.  FMU (5-0) wins its 19th consecutive game against non-conference opponents.  The point total was the highest for the Patriots in 626 dating back 23 seasons to a 128-34 win at Morris College on Feb. 13, 1988.  The 75-point margin of victory was the ninth widest in school history.

Coleman hit on 9-of-13 shots and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds in only 19 minutes of action.  Senior Precious Tucker tallied 17 points and seven rebounds, while senior Nicole Mealing added 15 points in her first start as a Patriot.  Junior 6-0 center Danelle Downs scored a career-high 13 points and hauled down seven rebounds, while freshman guard Courtney Mealing added a career-high 12 points and senior guard Eboni Fields chipped in 10.

Freshman center Kendra McMichael led Allen (0-7) with 13 points and four rebounds, while 5-3 freshman guard Ariel Moton scored 11 points coming off the Yellow Jacket bench.

Francis Marion scored the game's opening 10 points and was never threatened.  The Patriots led 55-24 at halftime.

In the second stanza, Francis Marion shot 71.1 percent from the field, connecting on 27-of-38 shots, including 6-of-11 three-point attempts.  The team's 67-point outburst over the final 20 minutes was two points off the Patriot record for points scored in a half.

For the game, the Patriots forced 41 Allen turnovers and converted them into 56 points.  FMU also led 78-16 in points-in-the-paint and 49-2 in fast-break points.

Francis Marion will open Peach Belt Conference play on Wednesday by hosting USC Aiken in a 5:30 p.m. contest.

11-28-09 2 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
#22 FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 122, ALLEN UNIVERSITY 47

ALLEN UNIVERSITY (0-7)
McMichael, Kendra 6-10 1-2 13; Moton, Ariel 2-3 7-13 11; Erby, Yashavia 2-8
2-2 7; Mann, Valisa 1-4 5-6 7; Coleman, Shuntavia 2-3 0-0 4; McCoy, Ashley
1-10 1-2 3; Perkin, Shantel 1-2 0-1 2. Totals 15-40 16-26 47.
#22 FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (#22   5-0)
Coleman, Dawn 9-13 0-1 19; Tucker, Precious 7-10 3-3 17; Mealing, Nicole 6-9
0-0 15; Downs, Danelle 4-6 5-7 13; Mealing, Courtney 5-10 1-3 12; Fields,
Eboni 4-10 0-0 10; Franks, Shana 4-5 1-2 9; Imani, Ana 3-6 1-1 8; Wilson,
Tiffany 4-4 0-2 8; Colbert, Robin 2-2 2-4 6; Dickerson, Kristen 1-2 0-0 3;
Mann, Monica 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 50-78 13-23 122.
Halftime: Francis Marion 55 Allen 24
3-point goals--Allen University 1-6 (Erby, Yashavia 1-1; Moton, Ariel 0-1;
McCoy, Ashley 0-4), Francis Marion University 9-21 (Mealing, Nicole 3-5;
Fields, Eboni 2-5; Coleman, Dawn 1-2; Dickerson, Kristen 1-1; Mealing,
Courtney 1-6; Imani, Ana 1-1; Franks, Shana 0-1). Fouled out--Allen
University-None, Francis Marion University-Mann, Monica. Rebounds--Allen
University 23 (Coleman, Shuntavia 5), Francis Marion University 42 (Coleman,
Dawn 8). Assists--Allen University 9 (McCoy, Ashley 5), Francis Marion
University 33 (Franks, Shana 5; Mann, Monica 5). Total fouls--Allen
University 17, Francis Marion University 21. Technical fouls--None. A-132
Charges drawn: Franks   Career-highs for Downs and Coleman