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FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore guard Brittany Christian scored a game-high 27 points, including five points in a key 12-0 second-half run as Francis Marion University ran past Morris College 85-55, Wednesday evening (Feb. 8) in non-conference women's basketball action.

The Patriots improve to 7-14, snapping a seven-game skid, and will return to Peach Belt Conference action with a key road contest at Augusta State University on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Christian converted 10-of-16 field goal attempts, including 4-of-7 three-pointers, and finished just two points shy of her career high set two weeks ago.  Senior forward Simone Trice tallied 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, while senior center T.T. Belcher registered 10 points and seven rebounds.

FMU junior guard Kristen Dickerson made just her second start of the season and responded with 10 points, eight assists, seven steals, and five rebounds.  The Patriots enjoyed their highest scoring output of the season and improved to 64-5 in their last 69 games when scoring 85 points or more (over 12 seasons).  FMU has also won 34 of its last 39 regular-season match-ups with non-conference opponents.

Senior forward Shaniqua Campbell led Morris (1-19) with 10 points, while guards Felicia Kinlock and Casmeyona Austin both chipped in nine points.  Kinlock also handed out seven assists.

Morris led during the opening portion of the first half, but Francis Marion took the lead for good at 12-11 on a three-point play by senior center Danielle Gibson.  The sequence started a 15-0 spurt for FMU that put the Patriots up 24-11.  The margin would grow to as many as 19 points at 39-20 following a free throw by junior Jasmine Williams-Hayes.  However, Morris closed the stanza on an 8-0 run that trimmed the advantage to 11 (39-28) at intermission.

The Patriot advantage stood at 14 points with 15:18 left when a three-point play by Trice ignited the decisive 12-0 run that ended with FMU ahead 62-36 with 10:50 remaining.  The margin would not dip under 20 points for the rest of the contest with the final score being the Patriots' biggest lead.

FMU forced 33 Morris turnovers which the Patriots converted into 42 points.  Francis Marion outrebounded the Lady Hornets 46-27 and enjoyed a 27-6 advantage in second-chance points.  The Patriots also led 48-18 in points-in-the-paint.

Francis Marion connected on 45.7 percent of their shots, while holding Morris to 35.6 percent shooting.

2-8-12 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 85, MORRIS COLLEGE 55

MORRIS COLLEGE (1-19)
Shaniqua Campbell 4-8 2-4 10; Felicia Kinlock 3-10 2-2 9; Casmeyona Austin
3-9 0-0 9; Erica Wilkerson 1-3 6-6 8; Leanna Mills 1-5 5-8 7; Leronna
Drayton 1-4 4-4 6; Tereika Grooms 1-1 0-0 2; Whitley Teemer 1-2 0-0 2;
Jamecia Ready 1-2 0-0 2; Jocquetta Coleman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-45 19-24 55.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (7-14)
Brittany Christian 10-16 3-3 27; Simone Trice 5-13 1-2 11; Kristen Dickerson
5-8 0-0 10; T.T. Belcher 5-5 0-1 10; Chelsey Johnson 3-10 2-3 8; Emilee
Dunton 2-6 2-2 7; Jas. Williams-Hayes 1-5 4-8 6; Danielle Gibson 1-1 4-6 6;
Hattie Harris 0-4 0-2 0; Ana Imani 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 32-70 16-27 85.
Halftime: Francis Marion 39 Morris 28
3-point goals--Morris College 4-12 (Casmeyona Austin 3-9; Felicia Kinlock
1-2; Whitley Teemer 0-1), Francis Marion University 5-13 (Brittany Christian
4-7; Emilee Dunton 1-4; Hattie Harris 0-1; Ana Imani 0-1). Fouled
out--Morris College-None, Francis Marion University-T.T. Belcher.
Rebounds--Morris College 27 (Felicia Kinlock 5; Leanna Mills 5), Francis
Marion University 46 (Simone Trice 16). Assists--Morris College 13 (Felicia
Kinlock 7), Francis Marion University 23 (Kristen Dickerson 8). Total
fouls--Morris College 22, Francis Marion University 19. Technical
fouls--None. A-317