GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – No. 24-ranked Columbus State University Women's Basketball began the 2024-25 campaign on Saturday night on the road at the Jersey Mike's Regional Challenge hosted by Tusculum (Tenn.).
 
The Lady Cougars (1-0) opened with a 20-point win over Catawba (N.C.), utilizing a surge in the third quarter to secure a season-opening 90-70 victory in Tusculum's Pioneer Arena in Greeneville, Tenn.
 
First Quarter
 
Columbus State began the game in response to a pair of opening free throws from Catawba by leading 5-2 in the first 90 seconds of play. Both teams battled in back-and-forth action, but the Lady Cougars would charge late in the quarter.
 
CSU went on an 8-0 run beginning with less than four minutes in the period, capturing a 20-8 lead with less than two minutes to play. The Lady Cougars led 22-12 in the first period, shooting for 40% (8-of-20) from the field and 75% (6-of-8) from the foul line.
 
Second Quarter
 
In the first four minutes of the second quarter, CSU would outscore Catawba 8-4 and hold onto a 30-16 lead. The Lady Cougars would find themselves with a 17-point lead with 3:17 remaining until halftime, but the Indians charged before the break.
 
Catawba closed out the half with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to nine points with 30 seconds to go. A trey from Jasmine Rai Stevens shut the half with the Lady Cougars up 39-27.
 
Bre'Lyn Snipes led the half with nine points, four blocks, and a steal while going 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. Zuzanna Rudenko followed with seven points and shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the foul line.
 
Third Quarter
 
Columbus State added eight points to open the third quarter with Snipes leading with five and Olonna Rawls knocking down a trey for a 47-27 lead. The Lady Cougars surged in the third, besting Catawba 33-18 in the period to lead 72-45 with 10 to play.
 
As a team, CSU shot 54.5% (12-of-22) from the field, 28.5% (2-of-7) from three and 63.6% (7-of-11) from the foul line.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Indians chipped away at the deficit with back-to-back treys and a jumper to pull within 20 points. Layups from Letiya Reeves and Rawls moved CSU into a 76-53 lead with seven and a half minutes to play.
 
After a free throw from Catawba at the 6:11 mark, Rawls sparked a Columbus State run with an and-one layup. Reeves followed with an and-one of her own followed by a lay from Samara Saunders which boosted the Lady Cougars to an 84-54 lead with five minutes to play.
 
Catawba would not go down without a fight and would go on to finish the game on a 16-6 run, but fortunately for CSU, the deficit was too large and not enough time remained on the clock as the Lady Cougars claimed a 90-70 win.
 
Inside the Numbers

• CSU finished with a field goal percentage of 40.8%, shooting 11.5% from three, and 75.8% from the foul line.
• Four players notched double figures with Reeves tallying 16 with seven boards as well.
• Both Rawls and Snipes gathered 14 points each with Haelim Adle scoring 10 in the process.
• Snipes snagged a team-leading nine rebounds to help CSU win a narrow 54-51 battle off the glass.
• Rawls led with five assists followed by three from Aaliyah Ferrell.
• Ferrell also produced three steals on the defensive end of the ball.
• Snipes was a force defensively, recording five blocks.

Up Next

• Columbus State takes on Tusculum (Tenn.) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET to close out the Jersey Mike's Regional Challenge.