COLUMBUS - Following a 22-point road victory, the Columbus State University women's basketball team will close out 2019 with a Peach Belt Conference showdown against Lander on Saturday. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. inside the Lumpkin Center.
Hitting the court for the first time in two weeks, the Lady Cougars didn't show any rust defeating USC Aiken 82-60. CSU outscored the Pacers 29-13 in the fourth, including ending the game on a 23-7 run.
Five Columbus State players scored in double figures led by a career-high 21 from
Eboni Williams. The Lady Cougars shot above 45.2 percent from the field and were 9-for-22 on 3-point attempts.
"I was pleased with how we played on Wednesday, but I know there is much more we can do," commented head coach
Matt Houser. "We had some lulls and it's hard to consistently win games when that happens."
"Lander is always one of the top teams in the Peach Belt and it's no different this season. They are really athletic and can cause some matchup problems. It should be an exciting game for sure."
After Saturday's game, Columbus State will be off until Saturday, Jan. 4 when Francis Marion visits the Lumpkin Center.
| CSU |
Stats |
LU |
| 6-1, 1-0 |
Record |
6-3, 1-0 |
| 76.0 |
PPG |
78.7 |
| 60.3 |
Opp. PPG |
68.3 |
| 43.4% |
FG% |
44.6% |
| 36.3% |
Opp. FG% |
38.4% |
| 42.7 |
Rebs/Game |
38.6 |
| 34.6% |
3PT FG% |
28.0% |
| 26.3% |
Opp. 3PT FG% |
26.2% |
| 56.1% |
FT% |
65.6% |
| 16.3 |
Assists/Game |
16.8 |
| 13.6 |
Steals/Game |
10.8 |
| 3.0 |
Blocks/Game |
2.9 |
Game 8
Opponent: Lander
Date: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Site: Lumpkin Center (4,500), Columbus, Ga.
Radio: NewsRadio 540 WDAK - Scott Miller, play-by-play. Mike Sanda, color.
Live Video Stream: Cougar Sports TV
All-time Series: CSU leads 38-17
Last Meeting: March 9, 2019, in Augusta, Ga. (CSU 86-83)
About Lander
Like Columbus State, Lander (6-3) will enter Saturday's game looking to win its third straight after beginning PBC play with a 71-57 victory at Young Harris on Thursday. The Bearcats forced 33 turnovers and held YHC to an 11.1 percent (2-for-18) shooting mark from three.
Forward Tabitha Dailey is one of the best dual threats in the league ranking sixth in scoring (14.8 PPG) and third in rebounding (7.8 rebs/game). The Bearcats also have guard Zamiya Passmore who averages 16.6 points and 4.1 assists per game. She is third in the PBC in both scoring and assists per game. Jessica Harris leads the league in total assists (40) and also averages 13.3 points per game.
Lander is the highest-scoring team in the PBC averaging 78.7 points per game. CSU ranks second in that category with a 76.0 scoring average. Opponents shoot just 26.2 percent from three against the Bearcats.
The Bearcats have reached five consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
Lady Cougar Notes
• Columbus State will be playing on its home court for the first time since Nov. 26 after four straight games away from the Lumpkin Center.
• CSU is 3-0 at home this season continuing its great stretch in Columbus. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Lady Cougars are 80-8 at home.
• In the nation, the Lady Cougars rank 10th in steals per game (13.6), 20th in fewest turnovers (120), and 22nd in turnovers forced (22.7).
• Not only does LeeAysia Williamson lead the league in scoring (17.3 PPG), the junior is third in 3-point shooting percentage (42.6 percent) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2).
• Eboni Williams (21), Aryan Dozier (11), and Aujana Dawkins (10) all set new season-high in points against USC Aiken.
• The Lady Cougars have forced 20 or more turnovers in five out of the seven games this season.
• Columbus State was ranked eighth in the latest D2SIDA Southeast Region poll. It's the first time this season that CSU has appeared in the rankings.
Series Notes
• In what has blossomed into one of the PBC's best rivalries, Saturday's meeting will be the 56th between Columbus State and Lander. CSU leads the all-time series 38-17.
• The two teams have met in the previous four PBC Tournaments, including in last year's semifinals in which the Lady Cougars won 86-83.
• In Columbus, CSU is 18-5 against the Bearcats.
• Since the 2017-18 season, the two teams have split six meetings.
