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COLUMBUS, Ga. – Hot shooting from 3-point territory by Columbus State helped the Cougars to grab a 78-55 Peach Belt Conference victory over the UNC Pembroke women's basketball team on Sunday afternoon inside of the Lumpkin Center.

Dee Dee Deshazer led the perimeter attack for the Cougars (9-3, 4-2 PBC) by connecting on 4-of-11(36.3 percent) 3-point buckets, while Columbus State drained 10 3-pointers throughout the contest. Deshazer finished with 14 points, while Asha Alexander chipped in another 14 points to the Cougars' winning effort. Also tallying double-digit points for Columbus State were Chatil Bradford and Tae Smith with 11 points and 10 points, respectively. 

The Lady Braves (5-8, 1-5) were paced by Kamille Horne who kept the Black and Gold alive from downtown. Horne's 14 points came on 5-of-8 (62.5 percent) shooting from the field, including a 66.7 percent (4-of-6) success race from behind the arc. Jazmine Kemp notched another nine points for UNCP, while also dishing out four assists. 

"I thought they jumped on us early and shot the ball extremely well. We didn't do a good job of rebounding in the first half, but the second half looked better. We just struggled to score and didn't attack enough. We've got to get more aggressive offensively, and show up on defense," said UNCP head coach John Haskins. "We just have to get better and keep on improving."

The Cougars quickly jumped out to a 17-4 advantage within the first five minutes of the game and continued to control the tempo for the remainder of the opening half. With the help of seven made 3-point baskets, Columbus State took a 19-point lead into the intermission.

The second frame opened with an 11-0 Columbus State run, seeing the Cougars' lead stretch to as much as 30 at 61-31. Horne scored the first points of the second half for the Black and Gold with a triple at the 12:35 mark. The Lady Braves did what they could to fight back, going on an 8-2 run late in the game, sparked by freshmen Phoenicia Lawson and Jonissa Monley, but Columbus State would earn the victory, handing UNCP its fifth-straight loss.

After a three-game road swing, the Lady Braves will return home to the English E. Jones Center on Wednesday, as they host PBC rival Lander (8-7, 3-3) at 5:30 p.m. in the front half of a basketball double header. Wednesday's game will be Faculty Appreciation Night.