NEW YORK – The Columbia women's basketball team pulled away in the fourth quarter to scrap out a, 76-66, win over Memphis on Wednesday night from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.
 
The victory was Columbia's (6-4) fourth straight, all of which have come on its home floor. Abbey Hsu led the scoring effort with 21 points, also pulling in 10 rebounds to complete her second 20-and-10 double-double of the season. Nicole Stephens and Cecelia Collins came off the bench and made big contributions, both reaching double figures in points. Stephens scored a career-high 14, going 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from long range. Collins scored 12 to go with five boards and a game-high five assists.

"My teammates have been great to me just building confidence," said Stephens in her postgame interview with Lance Medow. "Their full trust in me has helped me a lot. I have been talking to the coaches and whatever they need me to do that game, I'm there to do it, full support, and I know they have my back like I have theirs."
 
Stephens, a senior, has found a way to do all of the little things her team needs. Three days ago, against Villanova, the 5-7 guard pulled in a career-high nine rebounds and has been a force on defense over this winning streak, including standing tall down low to take charges.
 
Columbia trailed by a bucket after a choppy first half that saw the two teams combine for 23 turnovers. The Lions found their rhythm in the third quarter, going on a 13-4 run to take their largest lead of the night at the time, 42-37. Hsu, Fliss Henderson and Collins capped it off with six straight.
 
Memphis (3-6) hung around and trailed by just two heading to the fourth quarter but could not hold off the Lions down the stretch. Columbia used an 11-1 run over a span of 2:19 to take its first double-digit lead of the night, 58-48. Stephens' trey at the 6:30 mark closed out the run.
 
"At halftime, we talked about getting the ball into the first post and playing with our five," Stephens added. "I think we executed that well, getting into the paint, getting finishes around layups, which then allowed for in-out threes, which you saw there."
 
The Lions maintained a double-digit lead heading to the final two minutes. Memphis scored five straight to close within six but Hsu put the game on ice with a runner in the paint to thwart any ideas of a comeback.
 
Columbia closes out the fall semester and a five-game homestand on Sunday against Wagner (2-5). Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
 
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