“I am proud of our guys for the way they responded after Monday’s game and a slow start to tonight’s game” said head coach Robert Moore. “The second half is how we can play and it was just a matter of finding our rhythm. We have only been playing one game a week so we haven’t been able to be consistent, but now that we’ll be back to a normal playing schedule, I think things will start to click better for us as the season goes on.”
The Cougars raced out to a quick 9-2 lead in the early portion of the first half as Darius Mcknight and Steve Peterson each scored four points apiece during that stretch. Their stifling defense led to Talladega starting the contest just 1-for-10 from the floor and causing three turnovers. The Tornadoes settled down and went on a 15-3 run capped off by a Kerry Harvis three-pointer, giving the visitors a 17-12 advantage with 10:05 to go in the first 20 minutes of action.
CSU countered with a quick 6-0 run in the next two and a half minutes of play but Talladega again responded with an 11-0 run of their own, giving TC a 28-21 edge at the 4:04 mark. The Cougars were able to cut into the lead slightly heading into the half, as Talladega took a 32-28 lead into the locker room.
After some magic words from Coach Moore at halftime, Columbus State showed the brand of basketball they are capable of playing outscoring the opposition 15-3 in the opening 5:15 of play in the second half, giving CSU a 44-35 advantage. A three-point basket by Phil Wood on the next possession cut the lead to six points with 14:33 to go, which would be the closest Talladega would get the rest of the contest. The Cougars would nail the game shut with an 18-7 run capped by a Jarmarquis Steverson layup with twenty-eight seconds left in the contest. Seven different players scored during the spurt.
Mcknight had a monster night leading four Cougars in double-figures as he scored a team-high 19 points, grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds and blocked five shots. The 18 rebounds ties him with Ryan Aquino of Georgia College for the highest total in a game this season by a player in the Peach Belt. Steve Peterson recorded his second double-double of the year pouring in 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Donta Ridley and Steverson also chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively. After a cold first half, CSU shot a perfect 50% from the field in the second half (18-for-36) and 40% overall. They out rebounded Talladega 50-39 and forced 17 turnovers.
Harvis scored a game-high 26 points going 11-of-20 from the floor including 4-of-8 from downtown. Tarium Taylor was the only other Tornado in double-figures, adding 17 points. Wood dished out a game-high seven assists. As a team, Talladega shot 22-of-61 (36.1%) while knocking down 10-of-24 (41.7%) three-pointers.
“We can take this win tonight and enjoy it, but we will be hard at work getting ready for next week come tomorrow,” stated Moore. “What a way for us to show our fans some great basketball next week as we bring in the number 5 (USC Aiken) and the number six (Alabama-Huntsville) teams the nation in to the Lumpkin Center.”
Columbus State returns to the court on Tuesday, December 7 when it plays host to No. 6 Alabama-Huntsville. UAH defeated CSU in the season opener although the Cougars hold the all-time series lead, 12-6. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in the Lumpkin Center.
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