FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-24-07

Women's College Basketball: Columbus State 70, AASU 60

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Columbus State used a big first half to down Armstrong Atlantic State, 70-60, in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon in the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center in Columbus. The game was played in front of a national television audience, broadcast by CSTV.

The Lady Cougars (18-9, 10-6 PBC) scored the first eight points of the contest, then used a 14-2 run to take a 22-10 lead with 10:48 remaining in the half. The Lady Pirates (14-13, 8-8 PBC) did not score for the first 4:30 of the game and hit only five of its first 24 shots from the floor, including just 1-for-13 from three-point range. Columbus State took a 41-28 lead into halftime, holding the Lady Pirates to just 30 percent shooting from the floor (9-of-30).

AASU battled back, cutting the lead to six in the second half, but an 11-0 run by Columbus State stretched the lead back to 17, 58-41, with 7:14 remaining and the Cougars held on from there for the win.

Lacey Willis came off the bench to lead a quartet of Lady Pirates in double figures with 15 points, while Kaneetha Gordon chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds for her 19th double-double of the season. Tana Griffiths and Jasmine Herron each chipped in 11 points. Griffiths did collect three three-pointers on the game, setting a new single-season three-point record for AASU. Griffiths now has 84 threes on the season, eclipsing the previous record of 82, set by Debra Morrell in 1994-95. On the day, the Lady Pirates made just five of 27 threes, but the five made set a new single-season team mark of 196, eclipsing the previous record of 193, set in 2002-03.

Columbus State also placed four players in double figures, led by Tamara Peterson's 16 points. Ashleigh Beverly added 11 points off the bench, while Cherwonna Walker and Chauntel Ferdinand each chipped in 10 points.

AASU will go into the upcoming Peach Belt Conference tournament as the No. 5 seed out of the South Division. The Lady Pirates will take on USC Upstate on Wednesday, February 28, at 1:00 p.m. in Greenwood, S.C., in a first-round matchup.

- Pirates -