HARROGATE, Tenn. – The LMU women's basketball team opened their 2019-20 season with an impressive 25 point debut for freshman Lauren Flowers, but cold fourth quarter shooting allowed Belmont Abbey to erase a seven point fourth quarter deficit and pull out the 63-55 win Wednesday evening. LMU falls to 0-1 on the season while Belmont Abbey improves to 2-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
• LMU took the early lead as senior Shermeria Quarles scored LMU's first points of the season with a short turnaround jumper.
• The Crusaders then went on a 7-0 run. Back to back three-pointers late in the period by Flowers would cut the lead to 11-10 at the end of the quarter.
Second Period
• Belmont Abbey's Manuela Fungate put the Crusaders ahead 18-14 with 4:46 remaining in the half with a driving layup.
• The Lady Railsplitters then went on an 11-0 run to close out the half and take a 25-18 lead into the intermission.
• LMU's defense held the Crusaders scoreless over the final 4:46 of the half.
Third Period
• LMU and BAC traded baskets for the stanza, with the Lady Railsplitters holding a 37-31 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Period
• The Lady Railsplitters extended the lead to 42-35 early in the quarter only to see Belmont Abbey put together a 14-0 run.
• LMU then cut the lead to 54-52 before the Crusaders extended it back to eight and held on for the 63-55 win.

KEY STATS
• Lauren Flowers had an impressive performance in her first collegiate appearance; going 8-13 from the field, 4-7 from three-point range, and a perfect 5-5 from the charity stripe for 25 points. She also had six rebounds (along with Shermeria Quarles) and four assists.
• Belmont Abbey had three players in double figures in scoring, led by Allie Downing's 18 points. Downing also had 10 rebounds while Brittany Autry had 12 to lead all players.
• LMU shot 31 percent from the field and hit five-of-23 three pointers (22 percent).
• BAC hit 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range
• LMU had a good game at the free throw line, hitting 14 of 15 (93 percent) for the night. Belmont Abbey was 11-18 for 61 percent.
• The Crusaders held a 47-32 advantage on the boards. They also had 13 second-chance points to LMU's seven.
• LMU converted eight points off of 13 BAC turnovers, while the Crusaders scored nine points off of 10 Lady Railsplitters turnovers.
• The Crusaders outscored LMU 28-20 in the paint, and LMU's bench outscored Belmont Abbey's 17-14.

UP NEXT
LMU will now have a week off before facing local rival King University next Wednesday in Bristol, Tennessee.

Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter basketball throughout the 2019-20 season.