COLUMBUS, Ga. – Using a 10-point lead following the first period and 20 points from Mitchelle Mitchell, No. 15 Columbus State captured the 15-point Peach Belt Conference victory over the visiting UNC Pembroke women's basketball team, 60-45, on Thursday evening in the Lumpkin Center.

Columbus State (6-1, 1-0 PBC) extended its winning-streak to three games this season and to four games in in the series with UNCP (4-4, 0-2), while the loss was the third in the last four games for the Braves. 

Freshman Avery Locklear closed out the game with a team-high 18 points with four treys, while junior Jonissa Monley also added double-digit scoring with 13 points. Monley was shy of a double-double with a team-best nine rebounds, while Locklear snatched up six. The Braves shot 29.0 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line, while also totaling 26 points in the paint and 11 on fast breaks.

A strong first period gave the Cougars a 21-11 advantage, and despite out-scoring Columbus State in the second quarter, the Braves trailed by nine heading into the half. Columbus State slipped ahead in the third period, 45-29, but UNCP narrowly cut the lead in the final 10 minutes and finished with its second conference loss of the season. The Cougars held their largest lead of 19 points at the 6:40 mark in the final period and led for more than 38 minutes.

Columbus State's Brea Walker and Britteny Tatum chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Ashley Johnson held the contest's only double-digit in the rebounding column with 10 boards. The Cougars notching seven 3-pointers in the contest including four by Walker, 14 points off UNCP's 16 turnovers and 15 points on its 14 offensive rebounds.

UNCP will return to action on Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader against PBC West Division rival Georgia College (9-1, 1-0) inside the Centennial Center in Milledgeville, Ga.