MARS HILL, NC - Francis Marion University used a 16-point performance from sophomore guard Brittany Christian to hang close with the Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears before the Patriots dropped its season-opener 67-59 in the Biltmore Farms/Mars Hill Classic, Friday night (Nov. 18) in Mars Hill, N.C.

The Patriots drop to 0-1.  In addition to Christian's 16, junior Daphne Walker added 10 and seven rebounds.  Senior T.T. Belcher totaled nine points and 14 rebounds, while junior point guard Carmella Thompson came up with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Lenoir-Rhyne (3-0) was paced by a game-high points 23 points and eight rebounds from Jazmine Charles, including six made free throws in the final 54 seconds of the game.

Lenoir-Rhyne jumped out to an 8-1 lead six minutes into the game. A three-pointer by Charles and bucket by Danielle Bongiorno highlighted the early going for the Bears. Francis Marion responded and took a one-point advantage at 19-18 off two made free throws by Walker with 2:53 left in the first half. Trailing 21-19, Lenoir-Rhyne scored the final eight points of the period to take a 27-21 lead into halftime.

A three-pointer from Francis Marion's sophomore Emilee Dunton cut the Bears lead to four points, 59-55, late in the second half, but that was as close as FMU would get.

Both teams struggled from the field. Lenoir-Rhyne was 21-of-57 (36.8%) in the game. Francis Marion hit only 25% (19-of-76) of its shots.

Francis Marion takes on host Mars Hill College tomorrow for the second day of the classic with tip-off is set for 5 p.m.

11-18-11 8 p.m. at Mars Hill N.C.
Biltmore Farms/Mars Hill Classic in Mars Hill, NC

LENOIR-RHYNE 67, FRANCIS MARION 59

LENOIR-RHYNE (2-1)
Charles, Jazmine 7-12 5-7 23; Sealey, Cameron 5-9 7-12 19; Brinkley, Whitney
2-8 5-5 9; Culler, Whitley 2-9 1-2 5; Bongiorno, Danielle 2-7 0-0 4; Gust,
Jenni 1-3 0-0 3; Patton, Krystal 1-2 0-0 2; Katt, Alexis 1-2 0-0 2;
Laughter, Caroline 0-3 0-4 0; Johnson, Taylor 0-0 0-0 0; Whitmire, Joanna
0-1 0-0 0; Rishel, Kristine 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-57 18-30 67.
FRANCIS MARION (0-1)
Brittany Christian 6-19 1-3 16; Daphne Walker 3-8 4-5 10; T.T. Belcher 1-7
7-8 9; Carmella Thompson 3-15 2-3 9; Simone Trice 3-5 0-0 6; Hattie Harris
1-8 2-2 4; Emilee Dunton 1-3 0-0 3; Kristen Dickerson 1-7 0-0 2; Jas.
Williams-Hayes 0-0 0-0 0; Danielle Gibson 0-2 0-0 0; Chelsey Johnson 0-2 0-0
0; Ana Imani 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-76 16-21 59.
Halftime: Lenoir-Rhyne 27  Francis Marion  21
3-point goals--Lenoir-Rhyne 7-17 (Charles, Jazmine 4-7; Sealey, Cameron 2-4;
Gust, Jenni 1-2; Bongiorno, Danielle 0-1; Laughter, Caroline 0-1; Whitmire,
Joanna 0-1; Culler, Whitley 0-1), Francis Marion 5-22 (Brittany Christian
3-11; Emilee Dunton 1-3; Carmella Thompson 1-4; Hattie Harris 0-2; Kristen
Dickerson 0-1; Danielle Gibson 0-1). Fouled out--Lenoir-Rhyne-None, Francis
Marion-Emilee Dunton. Rebounds--Lenoir-Rhyne 44 (Charles, Jazmine 8),
Francis Marion 60 (T.T. Belcher 14). Assists--Lenoir-Rhyne 14 (Bongiorno,
Danielle 4), Francis Marion 7 (Carmella Thompson 2; Simone Trice 2). Total
fouls--Lenoir-Rhyne 16, Francis Marion 28. Technical fouls--None. A-175