Box Score Baldwin, Kan. – The Columbia College women's basketball team defeated 23^rd-ranked Baker University 66-55 Saturday afternoon at the Collins Center to claim their seventh straight victory. The Cougars improve to 7-0 overall with the win while the Wildcats fall to 6-2 on the season.

The Cougars used a 9-0 run to jump ahead of the Wildcats, but nine straight points by the home team would knot the score at nine. The score remained close from there as the game would be tied three different times, but the Cougars would lead the Wildcats 19-17 after 10 minutes of play.

Petrolina Chilaka hit a three to begin the second quarter to extend the Cougar lead, but a 6-0 run by Baker allowed the squad to go ahead 23-22. Columbia quickly regained their lead and scored 15 of the next 23 points to take a 37-31 advantage into the halftime break.

Both teams struggled offensively as the Cougars shot 33 percent while holding the Wildcats to 30 percent shooting from the field. Columbia shot 80 percent from behind the arc, knocking down four-of-five attempts, but were outrebounded by the Wildcats, 24-15 in the half.

Baker quickly erased the halftime deficit and outscored the Cougars 14-6 in the third quarter to go ahead 45-43. Back-to-back three pointers by Caprese Marshall and Ashlee Marlatt sparked an 8-2 run by the Cougars in the fourth quarter, allowing the team to lead the Wildcats 51-47. Columbia continued to dominate as they led by as many as 14 on their way to victory.

The Cougars shot 32 percent for the game behind a team high 11 points from Kei'yana Pearson. Marlatt finished in double figures as well with 10 points. Pearson led the team with five rebounds while Marshall handed out a team-high three assists.

Columbia will return to the hardwood for a conference tilt with Harris-Stowe State University on Thursday, December 3^rd. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in St. Louis, Mo.