Playing a game for the first time in two weeks, the Pinecrest girls could not buy a basket at Red Springs Tuesday evening.

The Patriots made only 19 percent of their shots from the field in a 36-32 loss to a Red Devils squad they defeated by 32 points at home five weeks ago. Felicia Painter led the Pats with 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. They take a 7-6 record into tonight’s 6 p.m. Southeastern Conference opener at Lumberton (8-5 overall).

Taking the floor for the second game in a row without 6-foot-3 center Janea Williams, who was out because of an illness, the Pats took a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter on a three-pointer by Keegan Lynch. Points were hard to come by after that.

Trailing 29-21 about midway through the fourth period, the visitors upped their defensive pressure in a bid to pull out the game. A put-back by Chalmers and a pair at the line by Painter got it going. The effort was interrupted by trips to the foul line by the Devils’ Robyn McPhaul, who went seven-for-eight in the quarter.

With under a minute to play, a three from the side by Lynch cut the deficit to 32-30, before McPhaul free throws sealed it.

After making all four of her free throws, Painter is 44-for-52 on the season. Her percentage of 84.6 is the third best in the state (all classifications) for players with 50 or more attempts. The 6-foot junior is averaging 12.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

Defending champion Richmond Senior is the conference favorite after getting off to an 8-2 start.

Pinecrest 10 4 7 11 — 32

Red Springs 7 9 8 12 — 36

Pinecrest: Waddell 2 0-0 4, Painter 5 4-4 14, Lynch 2 0-0 6, M. Thomas 0 2-2 2, Z. Thomas 0 2-6 2, Chalmers 1 0-0 2, Jones 0 0-0 0, Fairley 0 0-0 0, Braswell 1 0-2 2, Lawhon 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 8-14 32.

Red Springs: Leach 1 4-9 6, McPhaul 3 9-12 16, Murphy 1 0-0 2, Murchison 4 1-1 9, Sinclair 1 0-0 3. Totals 10 14-22 36.

Three-point goals: (P) 2 (Lynch 2); (R) 2 (McPhaul, Sinclair).