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By: Stephen Williams

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The seventh-ranked Columbus State University women's basketball team picked up its 13^th straight victory on Saturday, defeating Montevallo 72-53. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played in Trustmark Arena.
 
The victory wraps up a PBC West Division title for the Lady Cougars. CSU will hold the West's top seed in the upcoming PBC Tournament.
 
Ashley Asouzu led the Columbus State effort with a career-high 24 points and 16 rebounds. Jasmine Herndon was the only other Lady Cougar in double figures with 10 points. Keyrra Gillespie finished with seven points and eight assists.
 
"We didn't have our best game today," head coach Anita Howard said. "Ashley Asouzu stepped up today and helped carry us when we were struggling."
 
After a tight first three minutes, Columbus State (22-1, 16-1 PBC) hit the Falcons with a quick 6-0 run over a 50-second stretch to push its lead to 12-5. The lead would bounce between five and nine the rest of the quarter with Herndon's shot giving the Lady Cougars a 20-11 edge after one.
 
An Asouzu three-point play on the opening possession of the second quarter pushed the lead into double figures, and it would stay there for the majority of the time leading up to halftime.
 
Montevallo (5-19, 2-15) hung tough though, fighting back to trail just 38-28 at the break.
 
Columbus State finally started to pull away early in the third, using a 10-2 stretch to edge the margin out to 19 at 53-34. UM answered back with seven of the next eight points, but the Lady Cougars responded with seven straight to open up a 20-point advantage for the first time in the game.
 
CSU put it in cruise control in the fourth, coasting to the finish in a low-scoring final 10 minutes.
 
The Lady Cougars shot 40.3 percent (29-for-72) on the day and made only 2-of-14 3-pointers. CSU crushed the Falcons on the glass by a 52-29 margin.
 
Montevallo ended the day at 38.9 percent (21-for-54) overall and 1-of-7 from 3.
 
Columbus State will step out of conference on Wednesday with a road trip to Auburn Montgomery. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.