Cougars Off to 5-0 Start After Win over Cottey

Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College women’s basketball team opened American Midwest Conference (AMC) play with a 72-53 win over Cottey College as part of the Veterans Appreciation and Celebration Game Saturday at the Arena of Southwell Complex.
 
DeLaney Horstman had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Mackenzie Hess (13), Allison Stiers (13) and Abby Backes (10) all had a season high point total. Columbia shot a season-high 45.8 percent (27-59) from the field and had eight blocks in the win.
 
Columbia improved to 5-0 (1-0 AMC) with the win, while Cottey fell to 2-2 (0-1 AMC). The Cougars are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
 
Hess, Backes and Stiers all connected on three-pointers to start the game as the Cougars led 9-0 in the opening three minutes. Cottey got back in the game behind a 9-2 run with six points from Sarah Hunt to make it 15-13.
 
Lexi Miller scored the final five points of the quarter as the Cougars led 20-15 after 10 minutes of play. Columbia hit four threes and scored seven points off four Cottey turnovers.
 
The Comets got the lead down to two (23-21) with 8:23 left before half, but an 8-0 run by the Cougars extended the lead to 31-21. Columbia limited Cottey to 4-of-16 (25.0 percent) in the second quarter.
 
The Cougars took a 37-26 lead to half after shooting 44.8 percent (13-29) from the field. Horstman had eight points, while Stiers added seven.
 
Columbia opened the third quarter on an 11-0 run, including three-straight threes, to push the lead to 48-26. Stiers hit a three to open the quarter, and then Hess connected on back-to-back triples. The Cougars outscored Cottey 20-10 in the third to build a 57-36 lead.
 
Columbia put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to push the lead to 30 (68-38). 
 
Hunt (13 points), Sarah Wallace (13) and Dally Coulter (12) each scored in double figures for Cottey, who shot 31.7 percent (19-60) from the field.
 
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan University. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Marion, Ind.
 
NOTES: Columbia has won four all-time meetings between the two teams … The double-double for Horstman was her third of the season and 11th of her career.