Columbus, Ga. — The Catawba College women's basketball team fell in the closing game of its opening weekend of the season at Columbus State at the Lumpkin Center, 73-66.

TEAM STATISTICS

- Catawba was 24-for-52 (46 percent) from the field, while Columbus State went 25-of-76 (33 percent) from the floor

- The Cougars were 8-for-30 (27 percent) from three-point range, while the Catawba Indians struggled to 3-for-18 (17 percent) from long range

- Catawba was 15-for-21 (71 percent) from the free throw line; CSU was 15-of-26 (58 percent) from the foul line

- Columbus State was out-rebounded 51-34; the Cougars had 18 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds

- CSU had 17 assists to 26 turnovers, with Catawba logging 11 assists and 37 turnovers, which the Cougars turned into 27 points the other way

- Catawba led in points in the paint (40-26) and bench points (20-11)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Mary Spry turned in a career-high 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds

- Bailee Goodlett added 18 points with four rebounds

- Sheree Gidney scored in double figures again with 10 points on perfect shooting

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER

- Catawba jumped out to a 9-3 lead after Kaelyn Allen's three-pointer

- Columbus State responded with a 9-0 run of its own to take the lead

- The Cougars led 22-18 at the end of the first period

SECOND QUARTER

- Spry helped Catawba to a 6-0 run to start the second quarter and retake the lead

- The teams traded the lead over the next several minutes until CSU opened up a five-point lead near the three-minute mark

- The Cougars led by eight before the Catawba Indians brought it to within 40-35 at the halfime break

THIRD QUARTER

- CSU scored the first eight points of the second half to open up a 13-point lead

- Gidney's and-one brought the difference back within single digits

- CSU led by seven heading into the final quarter

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Cougars pushed their advantage to 15 points near the 7-minute mark

- Goodlett and Spry helped a 10-0 Catawba run; Makayla Stokes' free throw brought Catawba within five points of the lead with 68 seconds to go

- CSU's defense did not allow Catawba to score again, icing the game away at the foul line

UP NEXT

- Catawba returns to action on the road next week, heading to Augusta on Wednesday, Nov. 19 for a 5:30 p.m. tip