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By: Stephen Williams

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – In the final road game of the regular season, the fifth-ranked Columbus State University women's basketball team tallied a 69-61 victory at North Georgia on Saturday. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played inside Memorial Hall.
 
After missing a pair of games, Alexis Carter returned with 22 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Lady Cougars. Britteny Tatum and Tatiana Wayne finished with 12 points apiece.
 
"I'm very happy with how we played on the road," head coach Anita Howard said. "North Georgia is one of the better teams in the conference and to get two wins over them is a big deal.
 
"Both teams were amped up to start and there were a lot of fouls early. I was really pleased with our intensity coming out after halftime and we settled down and played well in the second half."
 
Columbus State (24-1, 17-1) trailed for the opening 3:13 of the game, however back-to-back 3-pointers from Tatum seesawed the Lady Cougars in front and they would never trail again.
 
Tatum's pair of outside makes jumpstarted a stretch for CSU that saw the Lady Cougars knock down their first five attempts from beyond the arc. Carter buried two as part of a 9-0 run and Wayne added another as CSU took a 22-9 lead after the opening quarter.
 
North Georgia (19-8, 11-7) answered back in a big way though in the second quarter. The Nighthawks used a 14-2 run, including 11 straight points, to erase the CSU lead and tie the game at 28-all.
 
Columbus State responded with nine straight points and a 10-2 run overall to close the half for a 38-30 lead at halftime. Carter had six of the 10 points and Eboni Williams got a big basket after an offensive rebound.
 
Carter continued her strong day after the break, scoring the opening five points to stretch the lead out to 13, and CSU's lead would get below 10 just one time before the final buzzer.
 
Keyrra Gillespie took over the game late in the third quarter, knocking down a pair of shots along with a no-look assist that set up a three-point play for Tatum. The senior point guard had seven assists on the day.
 
CSU's lead stretch as wide as 20 points in the fourth quarter, before North Georgia cut into it in garbage time late.
 
Columbus State shot just 36.5 percent (23-for-63), but forced 26 North Georgia turnovers on the afternoon.
 
UNG made a season-low 16-of-48 field goal attempts. The Nighthawks were 25-for-28 from the free throw line.
 
Columbus State will wrap up the regular season on Wednesday night with a contest against Georgia Southwestern. CSU will celebrate Senior Night as part of the evening. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Lumpkin Center.