The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team fell to the nationally 11th-ranked Shaw University Bears 55-49 this afternoon at the Wheeler Center. The loss drops the Abbey's record to 2-3, while Shaw moves to 1-0.

The Crusaders, which missed 17 of their first 21 shots, was trailing 20-9-the largest deficit of the game for both teams-with 6:30 to go in the first half before bolting out on a 14-3 run over the next five minutes to claim their first lead of the game at 24-23 with 1:49 to go. After a Shaw layup, Melisa Foures countered with one of her own, the final two of her 11 first half points, to push the lead back to one. After a Bears turnover, freshman Caitlyn Ranson buried a three-pointer to extend the advantage to four with 25 seconds left.

Two Shaw free throws with three seconds left shaved the Abbey's lead to 29-27 at the break.

The final 20 minutes featured both teams holding slim leads, but the Crusaders last lead of the game came at 39-37 with 11:14 to play. From there, Shaw pulled away, but by no more than six points until the final two minutes when the Bears moved it to eight twice, both on layups.

Foures posted a double double with game highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds. She finished eight of 16 shooting from the floor with two assists and a steal in 38 minutes. Kelsey Long added nine points, eight rebounds and three steals. The Abbey shot 32 percent (19-59) from the floor and won the rebounding battle by a 44-42 count.

Shaw, which shot 39 percent (21-53) from the floor, was led by Aslea Williams's 15 points and ten rebounds. Victoria Tanner added eight points and 11 rebounds, while Brittany Ransom posted ten points.