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COLUMBUS, GA – A career-high 29-point performance from sophomore guard Brittany Christian could not propel Francis Marion University to a Peach Belt Conference road win on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 29) as the Patriots were downed 72-59 by Columbus State University in the Lumpkin Center.

Christian was the only player for the Patriots (6-12, 2-9) to register double-figures on the afternoon as the Cougars' (12-7, 7-3) defense proved problematic for FMU, holding the Patriots to 33.9 percent shooting from the field, including 27.9 percent in the first half. Christian bettered her previous career-high of 19 points set on Saturday afternoon at Georgia Southwestern State University. 

FMU took an early 8-5 lead on a lay-in by Christian.  The game see-sawed back-and-forth for the first six minutes as the teams traded leads before Columbus State took the lead for good at the 13:41 mark on a three-point bucket from Marina Defoor.  That spurt eventually became a 29-10 run as the Cougars stretched their lead to 16 points thanks in part to shooting 50 percent from the field (16-32) in the opening stanza. 

FMU worked the margin down to 11 (37-26) at the half on a jump shot by freshman guard Chelsey Johnson in the final minute.

The Patriots wound the lead down to single digits at nine points (39-30) on a lay-up by senior forward T.T. Belcher at the 16:37 mark of the second half.  The Cougars used the next seven minutes to expand the lead to 23 points at 61-38, capped off by a three-pointer from Lauren Grisham with 8:46 remaining. 

FMU got the Cougar lead down to 14 at 63-49 on a three-pointer by Carmella Thompson with 4:47 left, but that would be as close as the Patriots would get until the final minute. Christian scored 15 of her 29 points after recess.  For the game, she was 9-of-16 from the floor, including 5-of-8 on three-point attempts, and was 6-of-8 at the foul line.

Thompson was the Patriots' second-leading scorer with eight points, while dishing out three assists.

Francis Marion had the advantage in turnovers, forcing 15 while committing only 13, but was on the short end in points-in-the-paint (28-14) and second-chance points (16-9).

The Patriots will return home for a mid-week conference tilt with UNC Pembroke on Thursday (Feb. 2) at 5:30 p.m.   

1-29-12 1:30 PM at Columbus, GA...Lumpkin Center
COLUMBUS STATE U. 72, FRANCIS MARION 59

FRANCIS MARION ( 6-12, 2-9 PBC)
Brittany Christian 9-16 6-8 29; Carmella Thompson 3-11 0-0 8; Chelsey
Johnson 2-6 2-6 6; Simone Trice 1-8 2-2 5; T.T. Belcher 2-4 0-0 4; Jas.
Williams-Hayes 2-4 0-1 4; Hattie Harris 1-1 0-0 3; Danielle Gibson 0-3 0-0
0; Daphne Walker 0-1 0-0 0; Emilee Dunton 0-3 0-0 0; Ana Imani 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 20-59 10-17 59.
COLUMBUS STATE U. (12-7   7-3 PBC)
Letiecia Davenport 7-12 4-5 18; Marina DeFoor 4-5 0-0 12; Asha Alexander
4-10 2-3 10; Dominique Gilbert 5-10 0-0 10; Lauren Grisham 2-6 0-0 6; Shan
Basley 2-10 0-1 4; Carrie Washington 1-2 2-4 4; Lauren Matheney 2-4 0-0 4;
Kiersten Reid 0-0 2-3 2; Chatil Bradford 1-3 0-0 2; Baleigh Coley 0-0 0-2 0.
Totals 28-62 10-18 72.
Halftime: Columbus State 37 Francis Marion 26
3-point goals--Francis Marion 9-18 (Brittany Christian 5-8; Carmella
Thompson 2-5; Hattie Harris 1-1; Simone Trice 1-2; Emilee Dunton 0-1; Ana
Imani 0-1), Columbus State U. 6-14 (Marina DeFoor 4-5; Lauren Grisham 2-6;
Shan Basley 0-2; Lauren Matheney 0-1). Fouled out--Francis Marion-None,
Columbus State U.-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 34 (T.T. Belcher 5),
Columbus State U. 48 (Dominique Gilbert 14). Assists--Francis Marion 13
(Carmella Thompson 3; Brittany Christian 3), Columbus State U. 13 (Asha
Alexander 4; Shan Basley 4). Total fouls--Francis Marion 16, Columbus State
U. 11. Technical fouls--None. A-303