Columbia, Mo. – After an excellent showing in Jackson, Tennessee this past weekend, the fourth ranked Columbia College women's basketball team returned to Southwell Complex tonight as they faced the Harris-Stowe State University Hornets in an AMC matchup. Columbia repelled the Hornets as they were victorious 77-69. The Cougars improve to 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. Over the weekend, Jordan Alford became the 19^th Cougar all-time to join the career-steals list with 100 on the dot, however tonight she moved into 18^th place with 102.

The Hornets started off the game taking a 6-2 lead, while the Cougars were working on finding their groove. The Cougars were trailing 8-6 as Jordan Alford hit Ashlee Marlatt who knocked down the three to not only take their first lead of the game, 9-8, but the three also put Marlatt in fourth place all-time for career three-pointers made with 207. With three and a half left in the first, Columbia led 15-10 and caused two consecutive Hornet turnovers. Harris-Stowe called timeout as they trailed 20-12. Alford would again connect with Marlatt, this time squeezing in a nice bounce pass catching Marlatt cutting to the hoop to finish at the buzzer, as the Cougars led 22-13 at the end of the first. Alford zipped in another pass down low to find Morgan Brandt who completed the three-point play as the score quickly became 27-15 in the first minute of the second. After a steal and a lay-up from Marlatt, the Hornets called timeout with four minutes before the break, while Columbia led 33-19. The Hornets closed in on the Cougars as the score was 33-27. Columbia would call their first timeout holding an eight point lead with 1:05 left before half. The Cougars would end the half with a nice drive and kick out from Hannah Sutton to Brandt, who knocked it down from the corner for three at the buzzer, giving Columbia a 38-29 lead at halftime. In the first half, the Cougars shot 37 percent from the floor and 82 from the free-throw line.

Each team came out aggressive in the third. Columbia had a 10 point lead, 44-34 about midway through the quarter. The Cougars were doing a good job of being patient on offense and finding the open look. As the third quarter progressed, the Hornets were sticking around, while Columbia led 49-42 with just under three remaining in the quarter. Columbia swung the ball around on offense and a great extra pass from Sarah Walters found Marlatt in the corner for three, but the Hornets answered right back making the score 56-49, Cougars on top. Heading into the fourth quarter, Columbia held a 56-52 lead. Harris-Stowe called an early timeout in the fourth, not wanting to let the Cougars get too far away as they trailed 58-52. The Hornets continued to loom right in the background as the score was 64-61 with under six to play. There was 4:25 left as the Hornets cut it to one, but a great move and finish from Mai Nienhueser gave the Cougars a three point advantage as they called for a timeout. Columbia held a two point edge, 69-67, with two minutes left in the game. A big offensive rebound from Nienhueser would give the Cougars an extra possession. As the game was winding down, Nienhueser sunk two at the line putting Columbia up 71-67 with under a minute to go. Another two free-throws from Alford gave them a six point lead with 25 seconds left, as the Hornets called a last second timeout. Columbia finished the game 77-69, shooting 38 percent from the field and 78 from the charity stripe, along with 12 assists.  

Mai Nienhueser recorded a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, while Morgan Brandt scored 16 and had seven rebounds. Jordan Alford recorded 14 points, four assists, and six rebounds, and Ashlee Marlatt also chipped in 14 points, along with three assists. In addition, Marlatt moved into 10^th place all-time on the career-scoring list with 1,126 points. Raegan Wieser also moved up in the ranks tonight as she advanced to 10^th place all-time on the career-blocks list with 62.

The women's basketball team will travel to Fulton, Missouri on Thursday, November 29^th to take on the William Woods University Owls in an AMC contest. The game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.