Box Score Parkville, Mo. – Tonight the first ranked Columbia College women's basketball team traveled to Parkville, Missouri to face the Park University Pirates in an AMC matchup. Columbia's win streak increased to 16 as they conquered the Pirates 71-45. The Cougars improve to 25-2 on the season and 19-2 in conference play.
As the night began, the Cougars took a quick 4-0 lead, but the Pirates were settling in as they tied it up at four early. With the score just 6-4 Columbia, Park called a quick timeout around the six minute mark. The Cougars were taking advantage in transition finding some buckets. However, the Pirates were able to keep it close in the first as it was 14-12 with a minute to go. Park cut it to two, 16-14, at the end of the first.
In the second, the Cougars called their first timeout as they led 20-14. Out of the timeout, the Pirates applied some full court pressure, but it did not stop the Cougars as they were on an 8-0 run to start the quarter. Columbia really turned it up a notch as their run built to 12 before the Pirates found the basket. The Cougars now led 28-16 with under three minutes before the break. Columbia was dominating down low as Park struggled to keep them away from the rim. The Cougars held the Pirates to just two points in eight minutes of play, but Park was able to grab a few more to trail 30-21 at halftime. Columbia shot 48 percent from the field in the first half.
The Cougars took a 13 point lead in the third and called another quick timeout. Over midway through the quarter, Columbia had stretched their lead 42-23. The Cougars were 4-4 from three as the quarter progressed. The Pirates kept battling, cutting the lead to 12 late in the third. With one quarter to play, the Cougars were up 48-36.
Columbia was demonstrating some crisp ball movement which the Pirates were having a hard time defending in the fourth quarter. Just over seven minutes left in the game, Park would call a timeout as the Cougars extended their lead 56-40. As the game played out, Columbia remained in charge, continuing to shoot lights out from beyond the arc in the second half. The Cougars went on to capture the victory 71-45 over the Pirates. Columbia finished shooting 57 percent from the field, 63 (10-16) from three, and had 19 assists.
Morgan Brandt recorded a double-double with 19 points, going 3-5 from three, and 11 boards, along with four assists. Raegan Wieser had 13 points, going 2-3 from three, three rebounds and three assists, Ashlee Marlatt dropped 12 points, going 3-5 from deep, and had five assists, and Mai Nienhueser added 10 points and six rebounds. Marlatt's 12 points moves her into 6th place all-time in scoring with 1,333 points. In addition, Alford had three assists which puts her in 12th place all-time in assists with 208 and she snagged two steals to move into 15th place all-time in steals with 133.
The women's basketball team returns to their home court on Thursday, February 14th when they take on the Central Baptist College Mustangs in an AMC contest. The game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.
