COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University women's basketball team held off a late Augusta rally to capture a 69-60 win on Monday. The Peach Belt Conference game took place inside the Lumpkin Center.

The Lady Cougars (11-3, 6-2 PBC) led by as many as 21 midway through the third quarter before Augusta started to chip away at the lead. The Jaguars were able to cut the margin to 13, 49-36, by the end of the period and the rally continued into the fourth. Augusta was within six, 61-55, with over three minutes to play. However, Columbus State calmly extended its lead from the free throw line to secure the home victory.

"We had to grind this one out," commented head coach Matt Houser. "The shots weren't falling today, but we did what we needed to do in the hustle department, and we dominated the glass."

"I'm super proud of the energy effort. This time of the season isn't a cakewalk, and to play all these games in a short period of time is grueling on the body." 

The Lady Cougars shot just 27.5 percent (11-for-40) over the first half before upping their mark to a 33.8 percentage (24-for-71) by the end of the game. CSU was 4-for-19 from beyond the arc and 17-for-27 at the free throw line. 

Columbus State grabbed a season-high 68 rebounds, including 27 offensive boards. 

Aujana Dawkins and Chrisalyn Boston both recorded double-doubles. Dawkins, who has now posted double-doubles in back-to-back outings, had 12 points and 19 rebounds while Boston added 12 points and 16 rebounds of her own. Kaihla Carter also had 11 boards for the Lady Cougars. All three players set new career marks in rebounding on Monday. 

LeeAysia Williamson scored a team-high 18 points hitting three 3-pointer along the way.

Columbus State will look for its fifth win in six tries on Wednesday, Jan. 22 traveling to Morrow, Ga. to take on Clayton State. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 

Play-by-Play

First Half

It was a tight opening quarter as Augusta withstood an early Columbus State rally. In a 2-2 game, the Lady Cougars scored six of the next eight points to go in front 8-4. However, Augusta tied the game at nine at the 2:30 mark following a 3-pointer from Zairya West. From that point, the two sides alternated runs. The Lady Cougars closed the first quarter by scoring the final eight points to go in front 17-9, however, Augusta answered in the second with eight straight points of its own to tie the game for the third time in the half. After Columbus State broke the run, the game remained tight. A pair of Augusta free throws made the score 20-19 before the Lady Cougars took a comfortable margin. A quick 7-0 run, thanks to five points from LeeAysia Williamson, gave CSU a 10-point advantage, 29-19 with a little over a minute to go in the half. The Jags netted in the final three points, all from the free throw line, to go into the locker room down 29-22.

Second Half

Like they have done for the majority of the season, the Lady Cougars controlled the third period. CSU began the second half on a 13-0 run to move in front by a game-high 21 points, 43-22, less than five minutes in. Williamson was key again with seven points in the spurt, including knocking down a three. The Lady Cougar lead hovered around 20 points while an Aujana Dawkins jumper with 2:33 on the clock pushed the lead back to 21, 49-28, before CSU went cold. The Lady Cougars missed their final two shot attempts of the quarter and committed four turnovers allowing Augusta to crawl back into the game. Two 3-pointers and a pair of free throws got the Jaguars within 13, 49-36, at the end of the quarter. Williamson broke the scoring drought with a three in the opening minute of the fourth, but the Jaguars continue to remain in the game. Augusta went on a 9-1 run to pull within 10, 58-45, at the 6:59 mark By the midway point of the quarter, CSU's lead was just 59-52 after the Jags put together another mini-run. Dawkins pushed the lead back to nine, but a 3-pointer from West put the Jags down just six, 65-55, with 3:29 to go. Columbus State didn't panic, extending the lead from the free throw line after Augusta began prolonging the game. CSU kept the Jaguars off the board for nearly the next two minutes while scoring six straight, all from the stripe, to clinch the victory.

 

Inside the Numbers

• Columbus State's 68 rebounds were the most in a game since Jan. 21, 2017 when the Lady Cougars grabbed 67 against Clayton State. • The 19 rebounds for Aujana Dawkins are the most by any Columbus State player since Alexis Carter tallied 21 against Anderson in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. • It's the first time all season that Columbus State had three players with 10 or more rebounds (Dawkins 19, Chrisalyn Boston 16, Kaihla Carter 11). • Boston has recorded three or more blocks in three out of the last four games. On the year, she has 28 rejections, the second-most in the PBC. • CSU committed a season-high 28 turnovers.  • Columbus State has posted 10 or more steals in every game this season.  • The Lady Cougars are 84-9 in Columbus since the start of the 2013-14 season. • Columbus State improves to 43-12 all-time against Augusta.