MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Bre'Lyn Snipes of Columbus State University four free throws over the final 16 seconds to lead the Cougars to a 64-60 Peach Belt Conference women's basketball victory over Georgia College & State University Saturday (Dec. 7) afternoon inside the Centennial Center.
The Bobcats lost their second straight as they fell to 6-3 overall and to 0-1 in the PBC, while the Cougars improved to 6-2. GCSU continues their homestand after a break for finals with a game against LaGrange College Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m. The game against the Panthers will serve as its annual Education Day game where GCSU will welcome nearly 3,000 children to the Centennial Center for the matinee.
Georgia College maintained a steady lead over Columbus State throughout the first quarter, finishing with a seven-point lead (18-11). However, a Simone Lett layup midway through the second quarter helped the Cougars claw their way back into the game, ending the half at 27-all.
Snipes and Olonna Rawls teamed up for 30 points on the day, helping them outscore the Bobcats by 13 points in the second and third quarters. Rawls scored a driving layup midway into the fourth quarter, making the score 52-40 and granting Columbus State its largest lead of the game with 12.
The Bobcats used a 19-7 run over the late stages of the final 10 minutes to tie the game at 59 after a Cierra Foster jumper with 0:37 remaining. Foster accounted for six points during the rally, while Deshona Gaither had five and Hannah Cail posted four.
After the teams traded empty possession, Snipes was fouled with 16 seconds left and sank both free throws to give the Cougars a 61-59 lead. On the ensuing GCSU possession Ashyia Willis was fouled with seven ticks, but only connected on the second of two free throws to pull the Bobcats, who were 13-of-21 from the charity stripe (61.9 percent), within a point at 61-60.
Snipes sank two more free insurance free throws with five seconds to go to give the Cougars a 63-60 lead. GCSU had one final chance, but turned the ball over. CSU scored 20 points off of 19 Bobcat turnovers.
Cail, who went 7-of-12 from the floor, led the Bobcats with 17 points, while Evie DePetro added nine. DePetro added five rebounds, while Jada Warren registered 14 to lead GCSU, which outrebounded the Cougars 47-41. Warren also scored six points, while Miracle Parker tallied eight boards.
About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the
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