Like Columbus State Athletics on Facebook!
Tweet #GoCSU

By: Stephen Williams

MORROW, Ga. – The 16^th-ranked Columbus State University women's basketball team made it six straight victories with a 78-56 win at Clayton State on Saturday. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played inside The Loch.
 
Ashley Asouzu led all scorers with 17 points. Alexis Carter racked up 16 points and 19 rebounds in her eighth double-double of the season. Jasmine Herndon, Britteny Tatum and Gabby Williams each finished with nine points.
 
"I'm happy with the win today," head coach Anita Howard said. "To come into a tough building and walk out with a victory is always a great thing.
 
"I still don't think we have put together a full 40 minutes, but we played well today and got a good win."
 
Columbus State (15-1, 9-1 PBC) started strong, getting five straight early points to lead 7-3 and set the tone for the day.
 
Following a Laker bucket, the Lady Cougars reeled off 14 consecutive points, including a three-point play from Herndon and a Narshanda Malone 3-pointer. The run opened up a 16-point advantage (21-5) and the margin never got back into single digits the rest of the way.
 
CSU stretched its lead as wide as 20 during the second quarter on Ariel Johnson's 3-point make. However, Clayton State (14-4, 6-3) closed the first half on a 10-1 run to send the game to halftime at 35-24.
 
Columbus State quickly answered back to start the third quarter, scoring the first six points to stem the tide.
 
The last Clayton State push came with five straight points that brought the Lakers with 13 (60-47) with 9:26 remaining in the game. CSU had a strong answer though, scoring six points in a 37-second span to put the game on ice.
 
The Lady Cougars shot 38.5 percent (30-for-78) from the floor on Saturday and 14-of-17 from the free throw line. CSU won the rebounding battle 67-44. The 67 rebounds were just one shy of the record in a PBC game.
 
Clayton State was held to a season-worst 27.1 percent (19-for-70) shooting, despite its second-best 3-point shooting performance of the year (7-of-17).
 
Columbus State will be back at home on Wednesday to take on Montevallo. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside the Lumpkin Center.