FLORENCE, SC – Junior guard Khamele Manning scored a career-high 17 points and senior guard Abigail Bullock keyed a fourth-quarter rally as Francis Marion University claimed a 72-64 victory over Queens University of Charlotte, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 23) in non-conference women's basketball action.

Francis Marion (4-0) remains unbeaten and will hit the road for its next two games: Nov. 30 at the University of Mount Olive (2 p.m.) and Dec. 17 at Belmont Abbey College (noon).  The next home contest for FMU will be its Peach Belt Conference opener on Dec. 19 against the University of North Georgia.

Sophomore center Zaria Woods led the Patriots with 18 points, on 7-of-12 shooting, and she pulled down six rebounds. Junior Kiana Adderton added eight points and eight rebounds, while Manning also recorded a career-high seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal.  The Dillon native connected on 6-of-9 field goal attempts, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Junior guard Kristian Eanes led Queens (1-5) with 17 points and five steals. Junior 6-3 center Julia Raflund had 12 points and five rebounds, while sophomore guard Jaymi Golden chipped in 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.

The game saw nine lead changes with the Patriots holding the lead for nearly 34 minutes of the contest. Queens saw its largest lead in the first quarter as it led by 9-3 after three-and-a-half minutes.  Francis Marion responded with 10 consecutive points, five by Manning, to take the lead. Buckets by senior 6-2 center Tatyana McClaney and freshman guard Scarlett Gilmore allowed FMU to break a 19-19 deadlock and lead 24-19 at the end of the first quarter.

The Patriots led the entirety of the second period, including a 33-23 advantage after a basket in the lane by Adderton, before carrying a four-point lead (37-33) into halftime.

Queens took a brief 38-37 lead in the third quarter, but FMU regained the advantage on a three-pointer by Manning and the Patriots led 50-47 heading to the final quarter.

Again the Royals rallied and went ahead 54-53 following a fast-break lay-in by Eanes with 7:53 left.  Bullock then scored the next four points and Francis Marion would never trail again. A three-pointer by junior Brianna White extended the margin to 64-58 with 4:41 remaining and FMU was able to withstand any further Queens' rally.

Francis Marion shot 44.1 percent from the floor, including 9-of-24 shots from beyond the three-point arc, and the Patriots hit 11-of-21 free throws.  Queens connected on 46.6 percent of its shots, but only 3-of-15 from three-point range, and hit 7-of-10 free throw attempts.

Bolstered by 15 offensive rebounds, FMU held a 17-5 edge in second-chance points.

Post-game comments from FMU head coach Jeri Porter and junior guard Khamele Manning

11/23/19 1:30 pm in Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
FRANCIS MARION 72, QUEENS (NC) 64
QUEENS (NC) (1-5,0-0 SAC)
Kristian Eanes 8-16 1-1 17; Julia Raflund 5-7 2-2 12; Jaymi Golden 4-11 2-4
11; Caitlyn Moore 3-5 1-2 8; Taylor Stevens 3-8 1-1 7; Lauren Fields 2-3 0-0
4; Tia McMillian 1-4 0-0 3; Annika Suhonen 1-2 0-0 2; Kelsey Leedle 0-2 0-0
0; Madison Sexton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-58 7-10 64.
FRANCIS MARION (4-0,0-0 Peach Be)
Zaria Woods 7-12 4-9 18; Khamele Manning 6-9 2-4 17; Kristian Wall 3-6 2-4
9; Kiana Adderton 3-7 0-0 8; Scarlett Gilmore 2-5 1-2 7; Abigail Bullock 2-9
2-2 6; Tatyana McClaney 2-5 0-0 4; Briana White 1-2 0-0 3; Camryn Johnson
0-1 0-0 0; Macy Passmore 0-1 0-0 0; Taylor Simmons 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-59
11-21 72.
Queens (NC)...................   19   14   14   17  -   64
Francis Marion................   24   13   13   22  -   72
3-point goals--Queens (NC) 3-15 (Jaymi Golden 1-4; Caitlyn Moore 1-2; Tia
McMillian 1-3; Annika Suhonen 0-1; Kelsey Leedle 0-1; Taylor Stevens 0-2;
Kristian Eanes 0-2), Francis Marion 9-24 (Khamele Manning 3-5; Kiana
Adderton 2-4; Scarlett Gilmore 2-3; Kristian Wall 1-3; Briana White 1-1;
Macy Passmore 0-1; Taylor Simmons 0-1; Abigail Bullock 0-6). Fouled
out--Queens (NC)-Caitlyn Moore, Francis Marion-None. Rebounds--Queens (NC)
26 (Caitlyn Moore 5; Jaymi Golden 5; Julia Raflund 5), Francis Marion 41
(Kiana Adderton 8). Assists--Queens (NC) 14 (Jaymi Golden 8), Francis Marion
19 (Briana White 4). Total fouls--Queens (NC) 18, Francis Marion 14.
Technical fouls--None. A-977