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By: Stephen Williams

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The 15^th-ranked Columbus State University women's basketball team extended its winning streak to seven with a 69-55 victory at Armstrong State on Monday night. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played at Alumni Arena in Savannah, Ga.
 
Michelle Mitchell posted her fourth consecutive 20-point and 10-rebound performance finishing with 24 and 14 in the winning effort. The senior has now scored 20 points or more in eight straight and has double-doubles in each of the last four games.
 
Britteny Tatum came up huge on numerous occasions down the stretch and ended with a season best 17 points. Ashley Asouzu rounded out the Lady Cougars in double figures with 10 points and eight rebounds. Gabby Williams and Ashley Johnson each added eight.
 
"We knew this was going to be a tough game," head coach Jonathan Norton said. "We did a better job defensively on their posts in the second half and rebounded the ball and that made the difference.
 
"Britteny Tatum was huge tonight. She finished around the rim and shot it well, and she's been doing that all year."
 
Columbus State (10-1, 4-0 PBC) got off to a hot start, connecting on 8-of-14 field goals to start the game and holding a 17-4 lead nearly eight minutes in. The Lady Cougars would go cold from there though, as the Pirates started to climb back in.
 
Armstrong State (9-4, 1-3) was able to knock four points off the lead before the end of the quarter to get within single digits and kept chipping away in the second. The Pirates got as close as three, but CSU still held a 27-23 lead at halftime.
 
The struggle continued for the Lady Cougars in the second half as Armstrong pushed out in front for the first time in the game (33-32) with just over five minutes remaining in the third. The lead grew to three before CSU came storming back.
 
Mitchell tied the contest with a three-point play and a pair of free throws from Tatum edged CSU back in front. On the ensuing possession, Tatum turned in the biggest play of the night with a steal and went streaking to the other end for the layup and a foul. The free throw capped off an 8-0 run and gave the Lady Cougars a 40-35 advantage.
 
Columbus State was able to stretch the lead out to 10 at the midway point in the fourth quarter on a basket by Johnson, but the Pirates weren't ready to go away yet.
 
Five straight Armstrong State points cut the CSU lead in half, however CSU had the answer once again. The Lady Cougars responded with an 11-3 run to move the lead out to 13 (62-49) and all but put the game away.
 
Williams and Mitchell put the game to rest down the stretch at the free throw line to secure a 17^th straight conference victory for the Lady Cougars.
 
Columbus State shot 41.8 percent (23-for-55) from the field and turned in another strong night from the free throw line, knocking down 22-of-27 (81.5 percent) attempts. The Lady Cougars also dominated on the glass winning the rebounding battle 40-25.
 
Armstrong State finished the night at 40.4 percent (21-for-52) overall and was just 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from the three-point line.
 
Columbus State will now return home for a pair of games, starting with Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside the Lumpkin Center.