Patriots Triumph over Cobras in Season Opener

FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University men’s and women’s basketball teams successfully opened their home seasons with convincing wins on the opening night of the Zaxby’s Patriot Clazzic in
Florence .

Senior Danielle Moore tallied 19 points to lead four Patriots in double figures as the FMU women (1-1) beat Coker College 85-55. Francis Marion broke a 2-2 tie with an 8-0 run and never trailed. The Patriots led 49-23 at halftime.

Following Moore, sophomore 6-4 center Shavone Mack scored a career-high 14 points on seven of nine shooting, while sophomore center Shonelle Downer notched 10 points.

Sophomore point guard Brittany Young added 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Forward Rachael Kolbeck led the Lady Cobras (0-1) with 20 and eight rebounds before fouling out.

In Friday’s other contests, the UNC Pembroke women (1-0) defeated Fayetteville State University (0-1) 73-64 behind a balanced scoring attack, and the Anderson College men (1-1) beat Fayetteville State (1-1) 81-71 as the Trojans shot 58 percent from the field, including an 11 of 21 night from beyond the three-point arc.

COKER COLLEGE (0-1)

Kolbeck, Rachael 8-17 3-6 20; Elliot, India 5-14 0-2 11;

White, Ashley 3-12 3-4 9; Nelson, Tara 3-11 1-4 8; Ervin, Tyesha 3-9 0-0 6; Spain,

Temeca 0-4 1-4 1; Smallwood, Tiara 0-0 0-0 0; Brooks, Ashley 0-0 0-1 0; Larsen,

Lauren 0-0 0-0 0; Dakins, Justina 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-67 8-21 55.

FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (1-1)

Moore, Danielle 6-8 7-10 19; Mack, Shavone 7-9 0-0 14; Downer, Shonelle 3-4

4-4 10; Young, Brittany 5-10 0-3 10; Guilliams, Renee 4-9 0-0 9; Singletary,

Creshenda 4-8 0-0 8; Kiefer, Katie 1-6 4-4 6; Marsh, Kirby 2-4 0-1 5; Goff,

Vanessa 2-6 0-1 4; Preal, Shaketa 0-3 0-0 0; Gandy-Miller, Sienna 0-1 0-0 0;

Etheredge, Courtenay 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-69 15-23 85.

Halftime: Francis Marion 49 Coker 23. 3-point goals-Coker 3-7 (Nelson, Tara 1-3;

Elliot, India 1-2; Kolbeck, Rachael 1-2), Francis Marion 2-13 (Marsh, Kirby 1-2;

Guilliams, Renee 1-5; Young, Brittany 0-1; Singletary,Creshenda 0-2; Kiefer, Katie

0-2; Etheredge, Courtenay 0-1). Fouled out--Kolbeck. Rebounds-Coker 40 (Nelson,

Tara 8; Kolbeck, Rachael 8; Spain, Temeca 8), Francis Marion 49 (Singletary,

Creshenda 10). Assists-Coker College 18 (Elliot, India 6), Francis Marion 19 (Marsh,

Kirby 5). Total fouls-Coker 18, Francis Marion 20. A-430

At Florence, SC (Smith University Center) FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 79, COKER COLLEGE 66