Nevada, Mo. – The Columbia College women's basketball team limited host Cottey College to a season-low 30.0 percent shooting from the field in a 67-58 win on the road in American Midwest Conference (AMC) play on Saturday.
 
The Cougars connected on 26-of-31 free-throws in the win and outrebounded Cottey 39-24. The 26 free-throws made were a season high.
 
Lexi Miller led the Cougars with 19 points, while Mallory Shetley (15 points, eight rebounds) and Mya Miller (14 points, eight rebounds) also scored in double figures. Shetley moved into fifth place in school history in rebounds (712) and is four points shy of 1,800 for her career.
 
Columbia improved to 10-0 (6-0 AMC) with the win, while Cottey suffered its first home los of the season and fell to 8-4 (4-2 AMC).
 
The teams combined to connect on just eight field goals in the opening quarter as Cottey led 15-13 after 10 minutes of play. Columbia limited Cottey to 4-of-17 from the field, but the Comets hit four three-pointers. Ashtyn Klusmeyer led Columbia with four points.
 
Lexi Miller's second three of the game cut the lead to 18-16, but Cottey canned four-straight from three-point range to push the advantage to 29-21. 
 
Columbia trailed 35-30 at the break after shooting 43.5 percent (10-23) from the field as four Cougars had six points. 10 of the 11 first-half buckets by Cottey were from beyond the arc.
 
The Cougars scored the first nine points of the third quarter to take a 39-35 lead, but Cottey went on a 5-0 run to get the lead back at 40-39. The Cougars locked down on defense and did not allow a bucket in the final 5:04 of the third quarter to build a 45-42 lead.
 
Leading by one with less than five minutes to play, Lexi and Mya Miller combined to score eight straight points during an 8-2 run to put the game out of reach.
 
Sarah Hunt (23 points) and Akyria James (21) combined to score 44 points for the Comets, who hit 12 three-pointers in the loss.
 
Columbia steps out of conference play for a road game at Friends University on Tuesday, December 17 at 5 p.m. in Wichita, Kan.
 
NOTES: Columbia has won all six meetings between the two teams ... The Cougars are off to a 10-0 start for the first time since 2015-16 season ... Abby Backes recorded the 100th steal of her career.