COLUMBIA, MO – Columbia College women's basketball opened its American Midwest Conference schedule with a hard-fought 61-59 victory over Williams Baptist on Tuesday night, improving to 8-0 on the season.

Ashtyn Klusmeyer delivered a dominant performance with 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting, adding five rebounds and three blocks. The sophomore was particularly clutch down the stretch, scoring 11 of her points in the final quarter and converting crucial free throws in the closing seconds.

With Columbia clinging to a 61-59 lead in the final seconds, Klusmeyer came up with one of the biggest plays of the game. After Williams Baptist's Cortayza Flowers attempted a layup with three seconds remaining, Klusmeyer swatted the shot away to preserve the narrow advantage. Chelsea Hamilton grabbed the offensive rebound and attempted a last-second jumper, but it fell short as time expired, sealing the victory for the Cougars.

Lexi Miller provided excellent support with 16 points on efficient shooting, including three 3-pointers, while dishing out a team-high four assists. Mya Miller contributed eight points and three assists, playing key minutes in the victory.

Columbia faced a 13-point deficit in the third quarter but chipped away at the lead before exploding in the fourth. The Cougars shot 50 percent from the field in both the third and fourth quarters, outscoring the Eagles 23-12 in the final period to secure the comeback win.

A technical foul on Williams Baptist with 32 seconds remaining proved costly, as Lexi Miller's free throw gave Columbia a 60-59 advantage. Klusmeyer sealed the win with a free throw after a foul with 24 seconds left.

The Cougars controlled the boards, outrebounding Williams Baptist 43-35, and converted 17 turnovers into 14 points. Columbia also dominated the paint with 28 points despite being outscored 32-28 in that category overall.