VALDOSTA, Ga. - For the first time this season the Columbus State University women's basketball team dropped a contest, falling to Valdosta State 69-59. The game was the final one of the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic played in The Complex.
The Lady Blazers used a strong second quarter to jump out in front of CSU, outscoring them 20-12 to take an eight-point lead into the halftime break. From there the Lady Cougars would try to pry their way back into the game but VSU would continue to hold off the late rallies to hand Columbus State their lone loss of the season.
"It was a disappointing end to our Thanksgiving weekend, stated head coach Matt Houser. "But we know what we need to work on and feel confident in our ability to bounce-back."
LeeAysia Williamson recorded another double-digit effort, putting up 15 points and six assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Taya Gibson was the only other CSU player in double figures, scoring 16 points to go along with eight boards and three steals.
Columbus State finished the game shooting 39.7 percent (25-for-63) from the field, but struggled from distance going just 4-of-21 from behind the arc. The Lady Cougars also finished only 5-for-12 from the free throw line.
CSU will be back in action on Wednesday, December 2nd taking on West Florida. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the UWF Field House in Pensacola, Florida.
| Play-by-Play |
| First Half |
| The game started off back-and-forth with the two teams trading the lead four times before settling into a 14-14 tie after the opening quarter. But the Lady Blazers would catch fire in the second quarter, going on a 20-4 run to open up a double-digit lead. Kayla Bonilla scored the final seven minutes of the run giving VSU a 34-18 lead with 2:17 left in the half. The Lady Cougar defense would step up though and hold Valdosta State scoreless for the remainder of the first half. Buckets by Williamson, Aryan Dozier and Jurnee Smith would make it a 34-24 score before Kaihla Carter picked up a steal and layup just before the buzzer. The 26 first half points were a season low for CSU. |
| Second Half |
| Valdosta State opened up the third quarter with another run, going on a 7-2 spurt to jump back in front by 13. But the Lady Cougar defense would step up once again, keeping VSU off the board for the next five minutes and 45 seconds. Williamson hit two threes in the final three minutes of the third but each time Valdosta State had a response. Seven points from Cheray Saunders in the final 2:15 of the third would give the Lady Blazers a nine-point advantage heading into the final quarter. Columbus State made one final push late in the fourth after they cut the nine-point deficit down to five with 2:35 left following a Gibson layup. But a missed free throw and then two missed shots over the next minute of play prevented CSU from cutting it to a one-possession game. Valdosta State would go 3-for-4 at the free throw line down the stretch and knocked down two layups in the final minute to seal the victory. |
| Inside the Numbers |
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• The 39.7 percent shooting marked the worst performance from the field this season for Columbus State.
• This was the second-straight game that CSU was out-rebounded as VSU held a +4 advantage on the glass.
• The Lady Cougars scored a season-low 59 points in the loss.
• Gibson has now scored in double figures for the fourth straight game.
• Columbus State received just 10 points from their bench tonight, their lowest of the season.
• This was the sixth all-time matchup between CSU and VSU, with the Lady Blazers now having won two in a row
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