By: FVSU Office of Sports Information
Basketball play resumed for the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) after the Thanksgiving Holiday on Saturday, November 26, 2011 in Columbus, Georgia. The Lady Wildcats were participating in the Inaugural PBC/SIAC Challenge. The Challenge features host Columbus State University (CSU) and Georgia Southwestern University (GSW) from the Peach Belt Conference and the Lady Wildcats and Albany State University (ASU) from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
On opening day of the Challenge, FVSU was pitted against the Lady Cougars of Columbus State University. After dropping the season opener to nationally ranked Florida Tech, the Lady Wildcats entered the game still in search of their first win of the season while CSU sported a 2-1 mark.
Trailing 6-0 after almost three minutes of play, the Lady Wildcats scrambled back into the game by taking a 10-8 lead with 15:25 left in the first half. With 13:59 left the teams were tied at 10-10. That's when things took a turn in favor of CSU.
With 9:23 left before halftime, the Lady Cougars held FVSU scoreless for the next 6:39 to take a commanding double-digit lead. After a 36-13 run to finish the first half of play, CSU took a 46-23 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Wildcats shot 25% from the floor in the first half (converting nine of 36 shots) while the Lady Cougars made 18 of 34 shots (52.9%).
The second half was just as disappointing as the first for the Lady Wildcats. In spite of their efforts to cut the large lead by the Lady Cougars, FVSU could not manage a significant reduction in route to a 33 point loss to CSU, 84-51.
The Lady Cougars shot 46% from the floor during the game (29 of 63); converted 14 of 19 free throws; and made 12 of 23 three point shots. In contrast, the Lady Wildcats made only 18 of 77 shots from the floor and hit six of 22 three point shots.
Dominique Collier led the Lady Wildcats in scoring with nine points. She also finished with five rebounds. Caremonique Dawson tallied eight points and three rebounds. Guards Yasheeka Jones and Brandi Haynes had six points each.
CSU (3-1) was led by Dominique Gilbert with 16 points, Kiersten Reid with 12 points, and Letiecia Davenport with 10 points.
Still in search of that elusive first win, the Lady Wildcats (0-2) will resume play in the PBC/SIAC Challenge tomorrow (Sunday, November 27th) at 3 p.m. when they meet the Lady Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern University in the Lumpkin Center on the campus of CSU.
-Wildcats Athletics-
