MO State HS Sports

Cougars Fall in NAIA First Round to Concordia

womens basketball team - james arnold

Crestview Hills, Ky. – The No. 9 seed Columbia College women’s basketball team could not overcome a slow start as the Cougars fell to No. 8 seed Concordia University (Neb.) 77-50 in NAIA First Round play Monday at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Ky.
 
Concordia improved to 20-11 with the win, while Columbia had its 14-game win streak snapped and ended the season with a 27-4 record. Concordia takes on No. 1 seed and defending national champion Thomas More University in the NAIA Second Round on Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. (ET).
 
Allison Stiers scored 13 points to lead Columbia, which shot a season-low 29.0 percent (18-62) from the field and hit just 7-of-34 from three-point range.
 
The Cougars trailed 7-2 in the first three minutes of play, and the Concordia advantage grew to 20-8. Columbia made just 1-of-9 from three-point range and trailed 22-11 after one quarter of play. Concordia turned five turnovers into 10 points in the opening quarter.
 
A three-pointer from Stiers and a bucket from Mallory Shetley got the lead down to single digits (24-16), but the Bulldogs took a 38-29 lead to halftime. 
 
Stiers had 10 points to lead Columbia, who hit just 3-of-16 from three-point range in the opening half. Taysha Rushton led all scorers with 14 points for Concordia, who had a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
The Bulldogs opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run to jump in front 44-29. A three-pointer by Abby Backes trimmed the advantage to 44-32, but a 7-0 run by the Bulldogs made it 51-32 with 3:52 to play left in the third. Concordia outscored Columbia 17-11 in the third quarter and took a 55-40 lead into the fourth.
 
A three-pointer by Lexi Miller got the lead down to 61-47 with 7:10 to play, but that would be as close as the Cougars would get.
 
Rushton led all scorers with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Kristin Vieselmeyer added 12 points. The Bulldogs shot 44.8 (30-67) percent from the field and had a 27-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
NOTES: The teams met for the first time in school history … The Cougars made their 19th all-time appearance in the NAIA Tournament, while Concordia was making its 22nd appearance.

This article is provided by Columbia Cougar Athletics