Columbia, Mo. –
Lauren Friedrich recorded the fourth double-double of her career with a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Columbia College women's basketball team to a 72-42 win over Lyon College Friday at the Arena of Southwell Complex.
Columbia improved to 2-1 with the win, while Lyon played the game as an exhibition and remained 0-0.
Ashtyn Klusmeyer added 16 points while
Alli Robertson added nine and
Vivian Bax tied a career-high with eight points. The Cougars shot a season-best 45.0 percent (27-60) from the field and hit 12-of-14 from the free-throw line. Columbia also outrebounded Lyon 51-24.
The Cougars hit their first four shots from the field and built a 13-5 lead with 4:27 left in the first quarter. Klusmeyer and Friedrich scored seven points apiece as Columbia led 17-7 after one. The Cougars limited Lyon to 3-of-16 shooting (18.8 percent) and forced four turnovers.
Lyon opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to four (19-15), but the Cougars answered with a 7-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Robertson layups, to push the lead back to double figures (26-15).
Klusmeyer led Columbia with 14 points as the Cougars took a 36-29 lead into halftime. Columbia shot 50 percent (11-22) from the field and hit 12-of-14 free throws in the opening half. Friedrich added seven points and six rebounds.
Friedrich scored 11 points in just over three minutes as Columbia's lead grew to 51-40 with 4:00 left in the third quarter. The Cougars scored the final 13 points of the quarter to take a commanding 59-40 lead.
Columbia opened the fourth quarter with 13 straight points, extending its run to 26-0 and pushing the lead to 72-40. Lyon missed 16 consecutive shots during one stretch, and scored just two points in the fourth quarter.
Alyssa Abascal (15 points) and Niya Evans (10) scored in double figures for Lyon, who were limited to 28.8 percent (15-59) shooting from the field, including just 5-of-24 in the second half.
The Cougars are back on the road on Tuesday, November 3 at Avila University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Kansas City.
NOTES: Columbia has won four-straight games vs. Lyon and leads the all-time series 32-15 … The Cougars are 44-5 at home the last four seasons.
