Women's Basketball Falls at CIU

Columbia, S.C.- The women's basketball team was back in action on short rest on Saturday. Still in the city of Columbia, the team returned to the court this time on the floor of the Columbia International University Lady Rams.

Alexis Bates stopped a 5-0 run with a layup and Cambree Mayo scored a layup to make the score 5-4. Close to the midway point of the first quarter, a three-point play by Anna Crowder put the game in a 9-9 tie. Columbia International broke the tie. A layup by Yeika Jimenez Diaz cut the lead down to two points. The quarter ended with the opponents on a 10-3 run, giving them a 21-14 advantage.

The scoring continued for the opponents, opening the second quarter with consecutive three-point baskets to take a double-digit lead. Crowder got the team on the board in the second quarter with a three-point jump shot and another three-point basket from Wright made the score 32-20 in favor of the opponents with 3:11 remaining until halftime. Baskets by Mikalee Martin, Jordan Wright, and Mayo moved the score to 38-27 at halftime.

Back-to-back three-point jumpers by Martin and Wright cut the lead down to single digits for a brief moment. Columbia International built their lead back up to 14 points with 6:22 remaining in the third quarter. With 1:42 remaining in the third, TWU had cut the lead down to two points, outscoring the Lady Rams 16-2 to make the scoreboard read 49-47. Unfortunately, Columbia International scored five straight points to end the third quarter to hold a 54-47 advantage.

With 7:26 left in the game, Martin's three-point basket cut the lead down to two points with the score reading 57-55. The opponents did not let the team pull closer on this occasion, and with 4:51 remaining, Wright scored a layup to pull within two again, this time a 61-59 score. Columbia International did not let the team take control of the game, scoring seven straight points to put the Lady Bulldogs in a nine-point hole. The team was not able to find the points to pull ahead, falling in the game by a final score of 76-69.

Wright led the team with 24 points while Crowder and Martin added 12 points and Mayo finished with 10 points. Martin had a team-high eight boards.

The loss moved the team's record to 14-7 overall and 12-7 in the AAC.