COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University women's basketball team will open up the 2023-24 season this Friday, Nov. 10, against Miles College. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center.
 
The Lady Cougars are coming off a 15-12 overall record and a 9-9 PBC record from the 2022-23 season. As a team, the Lady Cougars were ranked second in the 2023-24 Peach Belt Conference preseason poll with 61 overall points. "This team wants to have a great year. We want to show the fans a unique style of play that is fun to watch and play for," stated head coach Matt Houser. "We added a great new core of guards and posts, which will help with our depth and defensive effort this year."
 
Multiple key players are returning, including seniors Amber Abusbeih and Olonna Rawls, who was recently named to the 2023-24 Preseason All-Conference Team on Nov. 1. "Amber and Olonna are our All-PBC Conference players who are returning this season. They will help all the new players with our style of play and our culture. Expect big things from both of them" stated head coach Matt Houser. The Cougars also have a couple of crucial transfers in senior Bre'lyn Snipes, junior Jasmine Rai Stevens, and redshirt junior Lacy Robins.

Scouting Columbus State 

• The Cougars came up short in the 2022-23 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinals falling 71-75 to Clayton State 
• Senior point guard Amber Abusbeih averaged 13.4 points per game and tallied 102 assists in the 2022-23 season
• Last season, senior guard Olonna Rawls averaged 13.3 points per game and 6.8 rebounds 
• Letiya Reeves, a sophomore guard, returns for the Lady Cougars after averaging 10.7 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game last season

• The Golden Bears posted a 21-8 overall and 13-6 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in 2022-23
• Fell to Tuskegee 65-72, in the 2023 SIAC championship game 
• Sophomore guard Lemyiah Harris returns for Miles, who averaged 15.9 points per game last season
• Imani Williams, sophomore forward, also returns for the Golden Bears, who averaged 6.1 rebounds and 6.5 points a game