PEMBROKE – Columbus State's Michelle Mitchell and Ashley Asouzu each knocked in 16 points to lead the undefeated and visiting Cougars to a Peach Belt Conference victory over the UNC Pembroke women's basketball team, 74-55, on Thursday evening inside the English E. Jones Center.

Columbus State (11-0, 2-0 PBC) remained perfect on the season and extended its winning streak in the series with UNCP (1-7, 0-2) to three games, while the Braves fell in their sixth consecutive contest of the season.

Junior Mary Robinson closed out the game with a team-high 13 points, while seniors Jazmine Kemp and Avae' Hardy also added double-digit scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Kierra Haney was two points shy of a double-double with a team-best 10 rebounds and eight points, while junior Katelyn Mitchell drained nine points. Kemp also held onto eight rebounds including six offensive and picked up two steals.

"I think Columbus State is a very good team and they shot the ball extremely well," said UNCP head coach John Haskins. "I thought offensively we attacked and got some decent shots, but the story is just putting the ball in the hole."

The Black and Gold carried the advantage at the start of the game as Kemp put the Braves on the board with her opening layup and a trey by Robinson put UNCP up 5-2. With eight minutes elapsed in the first half, UNCP paced the Cougars with a tied score at 10-10, but Columbus State knocked down 18 points in the six minutes to control an 11-point lead while UNCP only added seven in that time period. Hot 3-point shooting by Mitchell cut the deficit for UNCP to eight points to head into the half as the Braves knocked down six arc shots compared to four by the Cougars.

Columbus State closed out the game in the final 20 minutes as the Cougars captured an additional 16 points in the paint and nine on second chance shots after shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from the arc. The visitors held their largest lead of 25 points at the 2:32 mark in the second stanza and grabbed the 19-point win in league play.

Columbus State's Dee Dee Deshazer and Brea Walker chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively, while Asouzu held the contest's only double-double as she clinched 10 rebounds.

UNCP will return to action on Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader against PBC West Division rival Georgia College (4-4, 0-1) inside the English E. Jones Center.