CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Redshirt junior Sarah Hansen (McKean, Pa./General McLane HS) recorded 19 points, six rebounds and four assists as the FGCU women's basketball team dropped a 79-60 decision to A-10 foe Charlotte on Saturday night at Halton Arena.

The Eagles (2-1), who led the nation in three-point field goals per game (10.7) last season, knocked down just 3-of-22 shots from long distance on the evening. Redshirt senior Lerrin Cook (Kearny, Ariz./Ray HS/Yavapai College) knocked down 2-of-5 shots from behind the arc on the night.

Hansen finished with 19 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe in a team-high 38 minutes. Reigning A-Sun Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Brittany Kennedy (Spokane, Wash./Lewis and Clark HS/Oregon State) recorded six points and eight assists. Senior Joyce Iamstrong (Chicago, Ill./Thornton Fractional South HS/Jefferson College) finished with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. Iamstrong also added five assists in her 25 minutes of action.

A 49er (3-0) 3-pointer at the 18:50 mark ignited the Charlotte offense. Kennedy drove in for a layup at 17:22 to pull FGCU within one, 6-5, at the 17:22 mark. An 8-0 run, covering nearly the next three minutes, gave Charlotte some breathing room (14-5).

The 49er lead remained single digits until Ny Hammonds buried a shot from behind the arc to give Charlotte with its first double-figure advantage, 23-11, at 11:50.

Leading 32-15, Ayanna Holmes knocked in a triple at 5:03, to give Charlotte its first 20-point lead, 35-15. FGCU fought back, trimming the deficit to 13, on a 3-pointer by Cook. Redshirt senior Betsy Adams (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes HS/Valpo) turned a late Niner turnover into another triple, right before the halftime buzzer, to send the teams into the locker rooms with Charlotte ahead, 40-28.

Hansen opened up the second half with an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the gap to nine, 40-31, but Charlotte answered with a 10-0 run to stretch the margin back to 19, 50-31, with 17:11 left. The 49ers never looked back and went on to pick up the 79-60 non-conference victory.

As a team, FGCU shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field compared to a 57.4 percent (27-of-47) mark for Charlotte. The Eagles outscored the Niners, 40-32, in the paint, but lost the rebound battle, 43-21.

The Eagles will now head to the Virgin Islands to participate in the Paradise Jam (Nov. 22-24). The Green and Blue will play three games in the Paradise Jam (DePaul, South Carolina, Hampton).

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