Box Score Columbia, Mo. – Tonight the second ranked Columbia College women's basketball team traveled to St. Louis, Missouri to take on the Harris-Stowe State University Hornets in an AMC matchup. Columbia swatted the Hornets 70-64. The Cougars improve to 23-2 on the season and 17-2 in conference play.
As the Cougars were settling in, they went on an 8-3 run to hold the lead to start off the night. With a Columbia three, making it 11-3, the Hornets called the first timeout near midway through the first quarter. As the quarter continued the Hornets were able to stick around and cut the lead 16-12. A last second bucket from Harris-Stowe made it a two point game at the end of the first.
In the second quarter, each team was struggling a bit to get points on the board. The Cougars were leading 21-16 with just under seven minutes left in the second. The game was proving to be a very physical one as it went on. A pair of Hornet free throws made it a two point game once again, 24-22, Columbia. With under four to play before the half, Harris-Stowe looked to cause some trouble with some full court pressure. More free throws from the Hornets tied the game at 25. The Hornets then took the lead back 27-25 with two and a half minutes to go. At halftime the game was tied at 29 each. The Cougars were shooting 42 percent from the field, 33 from three, and 77 from the line. Morgan Brandt went 7-7 from the free throw line in the first half.
Columbia started off the third with a bang as they hit a three immediately. Each team came out of the break revving to go as they went back and forth. The Cougars took a four point advantage about three minutes in. Columbia continued their run taking a 44-35 lead, causing another Hornet timeout. Harris-Stowe would not let the Cougars get away as they cut the lead to four, 46-42, with about three minutes remaining in the third. Columbia's hustle on the offensive boards was able to give them two extra looks in the final minute of the quarter, and resulted in a trip to the free throw line where they sunk both to hold a 50-45 lead going into the final quarter.
In the fourth, the Cougars remained strong with the ball and took advantage at the line. The battle went on as Columbia led by four with under five minutes left in the game. Another trey from the Cougars forced a Hornet timeout as Harris-Stowe trailed 63-57. The Hornets cut the game to one point, but Columbia held their composure and secured a 70-64 victory. The Cougars finished shooting 48 percent from the field, 42 from deep, and 86 from the charity stripe.
Raegan Wieser dropped a season-high 26 points, going 5-8 from three, while there were three other Cougars in double figures. Jordan Alford recorded 14 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, Morgan Brandt had 13 points, six boards, two assists, while going 9-9 from the line, and Mai Nienhueser added 10 points. In addition, Ashlee Marlatt handed out four assists on the night.
The women's basketball team is back at home on Saturday, February 9th when they take on the Hannibal-LaGrange University Trojans in an AMC contest. The game will tip-off at 1:00 p.m.
