Dec. 3, 2004
HATTIESBURG, MISS. - With two offensive rebounds and five made free throws in the last two minutes of the game from senior guard Lisa Copeland, the Lions garnered a 48-41 victory over Southern Miss. CU advances to the Lady Eagle Classic championship game at 3:00 p.m. eastern time against either American or Austin Peay. Columbia evens up to 3-3 on the season.
Early in the game, the Lady Eagles gained a three point lead, but Copeland tied up the game at 10, converting a three-point play. With 11:54 left in the first half, senior Edytte Key gave the Lions a one point lead, sinking two free throws. Southern Miss tied up the game and increased its lead to six. The two teams would trade the next set of baskets and then Megan Griffith cut the lead by two, hitting two jumpers in a row. Southern Miss missed two out of the next four free throws, allowing the Lions to come within two points with help from a jumper at the top of the key from Copeland and a free throw by Erin Jaschik. The Lady Eagles took their two point lead into the locker room at the half with the score at 24-22.
Copeland led all players at the break with 7 points with 8 rebounds.
At the start of the second half, Susan Kern tied up the score with a quick layup, but two quick baskets by the Lady Eagles brought the lead back to four. With another quick layup by Kern and a free throw by Nicole Lesko, the Lions brought the game back within one. Southern Miss scored three more points, putting the score at 32-28. No one scored a basket for the next 3:45 minutes of the game, until Jaschik hit a free throw to cut the lead to three. The lead was brought down to one point with help from two made free throws by Griffith. CU took over the lead with 5:16 on a layup by Jaschik and never gave it back. With 1:55 left in the game, Copeland pulled down two offensive rebounds in a row, taking a minute off the clock and helping end the possession with a basket by Jaschik, making the score 44-39. The Lady Eagles got a basket to pull within three and got the ballback with :50.0 seconds on the clock. Columbia made the stop and got the ball back with 34.2 seconds left. On the next two Lion possessions, Copeland was fouled and made four free throws in a row to seal the 48-41 victory for CU.
Copeland ended the game with her first career double-double in Columbia Blue, scoring a game-high 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Deondra Carter led the Lady Eagles in scoring with 10 points while Liz Biland led all players with 14 rebounds.
The Lions will play tomorrow, Dec. 4th, in the championship game of the Lady Eagle classic, facing either American or Austin Peay. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. eastern time.
