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AMERICUS, GA - Sparked by a career-high 19 points from sophomore guard Brittany Christian, Francis Marion University rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to have a chance to tie the score in the final minute before falling to Georgia Southwestern State University 64-60, Saturday afternoon (Jan. 28) in Peach Belt Conference women's play.

Francis Marion (6-11, 2-8) will conclude its weekend road trip by playing at Columbus State University on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Christian scored 17 of her 19 points in the second half, including five three-pointers over the first 15 minutes of the second stanza. Senior center T.T. Belcher scored a career-high 16 points for the second consecutive game and also hauled down eight rebounds.  Junior point guard Carmella Thompson tallied a game-high 11 rebounds and handed out eight assists.

Terra Branch led the Hurricanes (12-5, 4-4) with 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while also hitting 8-of-9 attempts at the foul line.  Adrian Randall added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Trailing 62-60 with less than half a minute to play and possession of the ball, Francis Marion missed a short jumper and then committed an offensive foul to miss out on a chance to win or force overtime.  Branch sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 4.4 ticks left.

FMU scored the game's opening six points, but GSW stormed back to take a 12-9 lead.  A three-pointer by Emilee Dunton put the Patriots up 14-12, but the Hurricanes scored six straight to take an 18-14 advantage en route to a 29-20 lead at intermission.

Francis Marion scored the opening 14 points of the second half -- including eight by Christian and four by Chelsey Johnson -- to take a 34-29 lead. A layup by Belcher later put the Patriots ahead 45-44  with 9:15 left.  Georgia Southwestern answered with another 6-0 run to go on top for good at 50-45.

The Hurricanes led 54-48 with 6:29 remaining, but Francis Marion rallied to within 54-53 after a Simone Trice bucket in the paint with 5:28 on the clock.  The margin would expand to 59-53, but again the Patriots rallied, as Belcher's lay-in with 54.5 seconds left cut the deficit to 61-60.  Jessica Bevins made 1-of-2 free throws at the 47.4 mark before FMU made its final deciding trip down the floor.

Both teams shot identical 21-of-53 from the floor (39.6%).  FMU made two more three-pointers than the Hurricanes, but GSW was 17-of-21 at the line compared to the Patriots' 11-of-14.  The two teams combined for 56 turnovers -- 29 for FMU and 27 for GSW.

1-28-12 1:30 PM at Americus, Ga. (Storm Dome)
GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN 64, FRANCIS MARION UNIVE 60

FRANCIS MARION UNIVE (6-11, 2-8 PBC)
Brittany Christian 7-17 0-0 19; T.T. Belcher 5-7 6-6 16; Simone Trice 2-3
2-3 6; Emilee Dunton 2-6 0-0 6; Chelsey Johnson 3-8 0-0 6; Jas.
Williams-Hayes 2-4 0-0 4; Hattie Harris 0-1 2-2 2; Carmella Thompson 0-5 1-2
1; Danielle Gibson 0-1 0-0 0; Daphne Walker 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 21-53 11-14 60.
GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN (12-5, 4-4 PBC)
Terra Branch 9-14 8-9 30; Adrian Randall 6-11 4-4 16; Jessica Bivins 3-9 3-4
9; Samantha Smith 1-1 2-2 4; Chelsea Brantley 1-1 0-0 3; Tania Walters 1-6
0-0 2; Briana Walker 0-4 0-0 0; Jessica Jones 0-3 0-2 0; Lashe Kirkland 0-3
0-0 0; Kelli Morrow 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 17-21 64.
Halftime: Georgia Southwestern 29 Francis Marion 20
3-point goals--Francis Marion Unive 7-18 (Brittany Christian 5-11; Emilee
Dunton 2-5; Carmella Thompson 0-2), Georgia Southwestern 5-15 (Terra Branch
4-7; Chelsea Brantley 1-1; Jessica Bivins 0-4; Tania Walters 0-1; Briana
Walker 0-1; Lashe Kirkland 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion Unive-None,
Georgia Southwestern-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion Unive 33 (Carmella
Thompson 11), Georgia Southwestern 35 (Adrian Randall 8). Assists--Francis
Marion Unive 16 (Carmella Thompson 8), Georgia Southwestern 17 (Tania
Walters 7). Total fouls--Francis Marion Unive 18, Georgia Southwestern 15.
Technical fouls--None. A-474