Downs’ 23-point double-double powers #4 Women’s Basketball to season-opening win over CSU in GSW Classic

Americus, Ga. —- The 4th-ranked Catawba College women's basketball team kicked off its 2023-24 campaign on Friday night victoriously, taking down Columbus State 83-72 at the Storm Dome as part of the GSW Classic.

TEAM STATISTICS

- Catawba shot 34-of-68 (50 percent) from the field, while holding Columbus State to 25-of-65 (39 percent) from the floor

- The Catawba Indians were 10-of-23 (44 percent) from three-point range, while the Cougars were 10-for-28 (36 percent) from deep

- Catawba was 8-of-13 (62 percent) from the free throw line; CSU was 12-for-22 (55 percent)

- The Catawba Indians forced the Cougars to 22 turnovers, but committed 25 themselves

- Catawba held an advantage on the glass, out-rebounding CSU 46-31, including 13 offensive boards

- Columbus State's bench out-scored Catawba's 19-10

- Catawba dominated in the paint, out-scoring CSU 46-22

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Janiya Downs recorded a game-high 23 points and 15 rebounds on 9-of-17 shooting

- Nala Baker added 20 points on a team-high three three-pointers, along with eight rebounds and three assists

- Sara McIntosh chipped in 15 points and five boards

- Lyrik Thorne was Catawba's fourth player in double figures with 11 and six rebounds

- Natalie Lara hit two triples to contribute eight points off the bench

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER

- Columbus State jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the opening minute

- The Cougars extended their lead to 10-4 at the six-minute mark

- Catawba cut their deficit to two after a McIntosh layup and a pair of Baker free throws

- Letiya Reeves' three-pointer extended CSU's lead to 15-8 at the 4:15 mark

- The teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter, as Columbus State led 26-20 after 10 minutes

SECOND QUARTER

- Downs' three-pointer cut Catawba's deficit in half in the opening possession of the second quarter

- Lara's layup tied the game at 29 at the 7:17 mark

- Lara's three-pointer capped a 13-0 Catawba run over five minutes, as the Catawba Indians opened up a 36-29 advantage

- Amber Abusbeih answered with a three-pointer to cut the CSU deficit to four

- Baker cashed in from three in the closing second of the half to take a 44-37 Catawba lead into the halftime locker room

THIRD QUARTER

- Catawba opened up a double-digit lead on Ingram's early three-pointer

- A CSU layup and three-pointer cut their deficit to five at the 6:36 mark

- Catawba responded with an 8-0 run over the next two and a half minutes, capped by Baker's layup for a 61-48 lead

- The Catawba Indians' lead ballooned to 17 on Downs' three-pointer at the 2:26 mark, a 14-2 Catawba run

- Back-to-back layups from Baker and Downs restored Catawba's 17-point lead, 71-54, at the end of the third quarter

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Cougars opened the final quarter on a 6-0 run, cutting their deficit to 71-60 on Abusbeih's three-pointer

- McIntosh canned a three-pointer just under the six-minute mark to halt CSU's run

- Reeves' layup cut the Cougar's deficit to under double digits with less than four minutes to go

- A Baker three-pointer and an Ingram layup returned the Catawba lead to 14

- CSU cut their deficit to single digits once again, but Lara drilled another three-pointer to put Catawba up double figures for good

UP NEXT

- Catawba and Georgia Southwestern close out the GSW Classic tomorrow in a rematch of last year's Southeast Regional title game at the Storm Dome at 3 p.m.