Columbus St. secured a 71-61 victory against West Ala., moving to 1-0 in the Peach Belt Conference while handing the Gulf South Conference opponent an opening loss.
West Ala. dropped to 0-1 overall and 0-0 in the Gulf South Conference following the defeat, while Columbus St. moved to 0-0 in conference play alongside their overall record.
The matchup saw Columbus St. build a foundation through defense and rebounding, turning 31 total rebounds and 11 steals into scoring opportunities. Madi Hawk and Aijah Manning led the scoring charge for the victors with 15 points each, establishing control early in the contest.
Madi Hawk played 34 minutes, shooting 6-of-11 from the field with 2-of-5 on three-pointers and sinking 1 of 2 free throws, while grabbing 4 rebounds, providing 1 assist, and recording 1 steal with 3 personal fouls. Aijah Manning logged 32 minutes, shooting 6-of-11 on field goals without attempting a three-pointer, making 3 of 10 free throws, securing 10 total rebounds including 6 offensive boards, and adding 3 assists, 5 turnovers, and 7 steals against 3 personal fouls.
Columbus St. shot 63.64 percent from the field in the first quarter and maintained a steady pace through the first half. Donee’ Frazier anchored the attack with 14 points and 6 rebounds, while Kamiyha Griffin added 15 points off the bench.
Donee’ Frazier logged 24 minutes as a starter, shooting 5-of-6 from the floor without taking a three-pointer, converting all 4 free-throw attempts, grabbing 6 total rebounds with 3 on the offensive glass, and adding 2 steals, 5 turnovers, 5 personal fouls, and no assists. Kamiyha Griffin spent 33 minutes on the court, making 7 of 14 field goals without a three-pointer, hitting 1 of 4 free throws, collecting 6 rebounds with 2 offensive boards, and contributing 2 assists, 4 turnovers, 3 blocks, 1 steal, and 1 personal foul.
Jackson Leads Offense with Points and Assists
Jamilah Jackson contributed 11 points and 8 assists, orchestrating the offense as the team worked through 25-of-64 shooting from the field.
Jamilah Jackson spent 27 minutes on the floor, going 4-of-9 on field goals including 0-of-4 from beyond the arc, making all 3 free throws, collecting 8 rebounds with 1 offensive board, and adding 5 assists, 5 turnovers, 1 steal, and 4 personal fouls. Samara Saunders chipped in 6 points in 21 minutes of action, shooting 2-of-5 from the field with 1-of-2 from three-point range and 1-of-2 from the line, grabbing 1 rebound, providing 2 assists, and adding 1 turnover, 1 steal, and 1 personal foul.
West Ala. struggled to find rhythm from beyond the arc, finishing 0-of-7 on three-pointers.
West Ala. team statistics showed 21-of-51 shooting overall for 41.2 percent, zero percent on three-pointers through 0-of-7 shooting, and 73.1 percent at the free-throw line on 19-of-26 makes. Their quarters broke down as 7-of-11 shooting in the first period, 6-of-11 in the second, 5-of-16 in the third, and 3-of-13 in the fourth. West Ala. recorded 11 offensive rebounds and 20 defensive boards for 31 total rebounds, alongside 24 personal fouls, 13 assists, 31 turnovers, 7 blocks, and 11 steals.
| Metric | Columbus St. | West Ala. |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 71 | 61 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 39.1% | 41.2% |
| 3-Point Percentage | 15.8% | 0.0% |
| Free Throw Percentage | 62.1% | 73.1% |
| Turnovers | 31 | 23 |
Columbus St. Pulls Away in Final Period
West Ala. shot just 23.08 percent in the final period, allowing Columbus St. to pull away despite shooting 46.15 percent in the fourth. Alana Hankerson added 11 points for Columbus St., sinking 7 of 8 free throws to help seal the margin.
Alana Hankerson played 24 minutes, shooting 2-of-6 from the field, missing both 3-point attempts, and pulling down 1 rebound with 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, and 3 personal fouls. Other Columbus St. contributors included Kaytlin Arnold with 7 points in 23 minutes on 3-of-12 shooting, Stella McIntyre with 6 points in 17 minutes, and Terica Smith scoring 10 points for West Ala. in 12 minutes off the bench.
