Columbia, Mo. – Tonight the third ranked Columbia College women's basketball team hosted the 19th ranked Lyon College Scots in the AMC Tournament Semifinals. Columbia secured the 75-60 victory to advance to the AMC Championship game. The Cougars improve to 29-3 on the season. This is the second time in program history that Columbia has reached 29 wins, the last time was in the 2008-2009 season.
The teams stepped onto Bob Burchard Court to battle it out for the third time this season. Each team would score quickly as it was 4-2 Cougars in the first minute. The next two and a half minutes were scoreless as each team's defense was well prepared. Columbia went on a quick 5-0 run taking a 9-2 lead as Lyon called the first timeout just over midway through the quarter. Lyon broke their silence with a three from the top of the key, but the Cougars grabbed another quick five points forcing another Lyon timeout as they trailed 14-5. Under a minute left in the quarter and Ukari McKinney took a charge to give Columbia the ball back. After the first quarter, the Cougars were up 14-6, as Lyon had not scored in almost three minutes.
Columbia's defensive pressure continued to put Lyon in difficult situations as the second quarter began. Three minutes in the Cougars held some space 17-10. A great kick out pass from Jordan Alford found Ashlee Marlatt who hit for three to take a 10 point lead. Columbia was in Lyon's head as the Scots struggled on offense. Mai Nienhueser was doing a great job running the floor, and good awareness from her teammates found her down low where she finished and was sent to the line where she completed the three point conversion taking a 27-14 lead with 3:10 to go before the break. As the quarter progressed, Columbia was dictating the game and stretched their lead 34-14. A very flustered Lyon team called a late quarter timeout with about 30 seconds to play before halftime. The Cougars dominated the first half holding a 36-16 lead, as they shot 45 percent from the field, 38 from deep, and a perfect 5-5 from the line, while causing eight Lyon turnovers. Alford led all scorers with 14 points, going 2-3 from three in the half.
Columbia's intensity did not falter as they started the third quarter, hitting two three pointers to keep things rolling. The Cougars offense was clicking on all cylinders as they led 49-24 midway through the third. Columbia called a timeout, up 51-31, on the back end of the quarter. The Cougars were in control on both ends of the floor and their aggressive defense along with a monster block from Alexis Uffmann ended the third quarter with the score 57-37 heading into the final quarter.
Another three from Alford caused an immediate timeout from Lyon only a minute into the fourth. The Scots defense could not handle the Cougars as Columbia was up 70-45. The Cougars effort never slowed up as they kept Lyon rattled. The Scots looked uncomfortable the entire game as Columbia topped them for the third time this season with a final score of 75-60. The Cougars shot 47 percent from the field, 41 from three, and 92 (12-13) from the charity stripe. In addition, they had 16 assists and seven steals on 16 Lyon turnovers.
Jordan Alford tied her season high 23 points, going 5-8 from deep, along with two rebounds and three assists. Morgan Brandt recorded a double-double with 13 points and a season high 15 rebounds, going a perfect 6-6 from the line, with two assists. Raegan Wieser added 13 points and six rebounds, while Ashlee Marlatt chipped in 10 points, going 2-4 from three, and gave out eight assists. Mai Nienhueser had nine points and seven boards on the night. With Brandt's six made free throws, she has now taken over first place all-time in career free throws made as she surpassed Charliss Ridley (339) and currently has 343.
The women's basketball team moves onto the AMC Championship game where they will travel to Henderson, Tennessee to take on the number one ranked Freed-Hardeman University Lions on Monday, March 4th. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m.
