The Francis Marion University men's and women's basketball teams will begin the New Year by hosting local-Peach Belt Conference rival UNC Pembroke for a doubleheader on Saturday (Jan. 2).  The Patriots will also be participating in the NCAA's national Take A Kid to the Game program on that afternoon.

The twinbill will begin with the women's game at 1:30 p.m., followed by the men's contest at 3:30 p.m.  General admission for students 16-years-and-under will be free when they are accompanied by a paying adult ($1).  FMU students are admitted free with ID.

Both games will be broadcast on WWFN The Fan, 100.1 FM and televised live on Channel 11 of Florence's Time Warner Cable system as well as streamed on the internet at http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php?module=event-results&searchIt=yes .

The Francis Marion Women are ranked 17th in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 poll with a 9-1 overall record and a 1-0 PBC mark.  UNCP was 4-5 and 0-2 prior to playing two non-conference games in the UWF Argo Classic in Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 29 and 30.

Francis Marion leads the all-time series with the Lady Braves 36-17, including four straight wins.

The Patriot men are 8-1 and 1-0 in the Peach Belt, while the Braves are 5-6 and 1-1.  FMU has won the last six meetings with UNCP and nine of the last 10, while narrowing the all-time series deficit to 32-27.

Entering its 15th year, the Take A Kid to the Game (TAKG) program encourages adults to take children to collegiate athletic contests. The TAKG program allows institutions an opportunity to introduce area youth to its athletics programs as well as the university.  FMU is one of approximately 20 Division II institutions nationwide, and the only PBC member, participating in this year's program.