CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- Needing a big performance with their leading scorer on the bench in foul trouble, the 25th ranked Lindsey Wilson College women's basketball team got just that from Ashley Franklin with a career-high 20 points to help top 12th ranked Bethel (Tenn.) University 61-50 on Friday in the Powell Athletic Center.

Sophomore Jasmine Brimm added 11 points and four rebounds for Lindsey Wilson, while Jana Roney led Bethel with 13 points and 14 rebounds.

Freshman Monny Niamke, the Blue Raider's leading scorer heading into the game, went scoreless in the Citizens Bank and Trust Company Holiday Hoops Classic but still chipped in with six rebounds.

The newcomer from Rouen, France picked up a pair of fouls in the game's first five minutes, forcing the Blue Raiders to play nearly the entire first half with their leading scorer on the bench.

Making matters even worse, Brimm also committed two early fouls and spent a majority of the half on the bench as well.

Needing a player to step up on the offensive side, Franklin gladly accepted the challenge and went to work scoring 12 first-half points.

The senior connected on three contested layups in traffic and banked in a deep 3-pointer with the shot-clock winding down.

Lindsey Wilson led the first half in points off the bench 14-6 as senior Taylor Lockridge added four points and junior Kasey Litzinger and senior Tiffany Williams both knocked down a 3-pointer.

Leading by eight at 27-19 with just seconds left in the hald, Franklin finished off her strong early showing with a running jumper in the paint to take Lindsey Wilson into halftime up 29-19.

It took about 10 minutes for things to get going, but in the game's final stages Lindsey Wilson started to click on offense.

Led by Franklin and Brimm, the Blue Raiders worked their lead all the way up to 16 at 50-34 on a hard, driving layup by Franklin. Brimm's important role was her rebounding and not missing a chance to cause a deflection and get Lindsey Wilson out on the fast break.

With just five minutes left in the game the Blue Raiders continued to control the game, leading 52-38.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the game changed over the next three minutes.

Katie VanDyke started the Bethel run with a 3-pointer, then Lindsey Wilson struggled in its offensive sets with a pair of turnovers leading to a pair of free throws by Roney and another VanDyke three to pull the Wildcats within two.

And just as the game looked to be slipping away from the Blue Raiders a string of good events went their way.

Senior Michelle Copley grabbed a huge rebound and got fouled on the put back to get to the free-throw line where she hit a pair of shots. On Lindsey Wilson's next possession junior Sarah Gillis knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner and from then on it was all Lindsey Wilson.

The Blue Raiders led the rebounding battle 36-33 and finished the game shooting 43.5 percent from the field, while the Wildcats hit just 31.7 percent of its shots.

The Blue Raiders continue play in the classic on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT against third ranked Azusa Pacific (Calif.) University at the Powell Athletic Center.