FLORENCE, SC - Junior Shannon Singleton-Bates scored a career-high 28 points and 17th-ranked Francis Marion University used a dominant performance inside the paint to down Flagler College 97-63, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23) in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion improves to 15-2 overall and 7-1 in the PBC, while winning its 11th straight home contest and 38th in the past 42 outings in the Smith University Center. 

FMU held a commanding 60-26 advantage in points-in-the-paint and forced 38 Flagler turnovers that resulted in 38 Patriot points.

Singleton-Bates connected on 10-of-15 field goal attempts and was 7-of-9 at the foul line in only 24 minutes of action.  She also hauled down five rebounds, handed out two assists, and recorded four steals.  The South Norwalk, Conn., native is now only 30 points shy of becoming the 26th Patriot to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

FMU senior forward Precious Tucker tallied 15 points, on 6-of-8 shooting, and grabbed seven rebounds.  Junior point guard Robin Colbert added 11 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and six steals in only 21 minutes of play.  Twelve of the 13 Patriot team members scored.

Junior forward Chanti Beckett paced the Saints (6-9, 1-5) with 11 points and five rebounds, while senior forward Jalisa Foster added 10 points and eight rebounds.

On FMU's second possession, senior guard Eboni Fields connected on a three-pointer and the Patriots would never trail in the contest.  The Saints would tie the score twice, the final time at 9-9.  A jump shot by guard Jen Mitchell kept Flagler within 18-16 with 9:59 left in the opening half.  Colbert and Singleton-Bates combined to help Francis Marion score 14 of the game's next 16 points as the Patriots forged ahead 32-18.  After a pair of Saints' free throws, FMU scored five straight and the margin expanded to 37-20 at the 3:57 mark of the first half.

A stick-back basket by Singleton-Bates with 28 ticks left gave Francis Marion a 43-25 lead at intermission.

Over the final 20 minutes, the Patriots shot 51.2 percent from the floor and made 9-of-10 free throws.

A three-point play by Colbert opened the final stanza and the margin would never again dip below 20 points.

FMU will play at Georgia College & State University on Friday at 5:30 p.m. to open a three-game road trip.  Flagler entertains GC&SU on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

1-23-10 1:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
#17 FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 97, FLAGLER COLLEGE 63
FLAGLER COLLEGE (6-9 , 1-5 PBC)
Beckett, Chanti 1-6 9-14 11; Foster, Jalisa 4-7 2-2 10; Owen, Charlsea 3-8
2-2 9; Knurek, Jen 4-6 1-2 9; Donelson, Adrienne 2-6 4-5 8; Roper, Arianna
2-2 0-0 6; Mitchell, Jen 2-6 0-0 5; Reddish, Karlyn 2-3 1-1 5; Boone, Nicole
0-2 0-0 0; Bailie, Lauren 0-4 0-0 0; McGill, Cassandra 0-0 0-0 0. Totals
20-50 19-26 63.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (#17 15-2 , 7-1)
Singleton-Bates, Sha 10-15 7-9 28; Tucker, Precious 6-8 3-4 15; Colbert,
Robin 4-5 3-5 11; Franks, Shana 4-10 0-0 9; Mann, Monica 3-5 2-2 8; Mealing,
Nicole 2-8 1-2 6; Fields, Eboni 2-8 0-0 5; Mealing, Courtney 1-4 2-2 5;
Coleman, Dawn 2-6 0-0 4; Dickerson, Kristen 1-3 0-0 2; Bowens, Tiahana 1-4
0-0 2; Trice, Simone 1-3 0-0 2; Imani, Ana 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-79 18-24 97.
Halftime: Francis Marion 43 Flagler College 25
3-point goals--Flagler College 4-13 (Roper, Arianna 2-2; Owen, Charlsea 1-4;
Mitchell, Jen 1-4; Boone, Nicole 0-1; Bailie, Lauren 0-1; Beckett, Chanti
0-1), Francis Marion University 5-20 (Fields, Eboni 1-6; Mealing, Nicole
1-5; Franks, Shana 1-4; Mealing, Courtney 1-3; Singleton-Bates, Sha 1-1;
Coleman, Dawn 0-1). Fouled out--Flagler College-None, Francis Marion
University-Trice, Simone. Rebounds--Flagler College 37 (Foster, Jalisa 8),
Francis Marion University 42 (Tucker, Precious 7). Assists--Flagler College
13 (Mitchell, Jen 4), Francis Marion University 23 (Colbert, Robin 7). Total
fouls--Flagler College 17, Francis Marion University 24. Technical
fouls--None. A-617