CHICAGO — The Chicago State women's basketball team (2-12, 1-4 WAC) suffered a 55-47 loss Saturday to Lamar.
Aaliyah Collins led the Cougars with 21 points, the fifth 20+ point game of her freshman campaign. She also added six rebounds and was bolstered by nine points from Cookie Boothe, who hit three treys, all in the first half. Kyjai Miles added six points and four boards, while Janiah Newell scored four points and blocked two shots.
"This was a much better effort from us on the defensive end," head coach Tiffany Sardin said. "We just really have to set the tone and play with consistency. We had a few mental breakdowns, but I like how our women responded."
The Cougars pulled to within five points with 18 seconds left, but sharp Lamar free-throw shooting iced the game.
In the first quarter, the Cardinals opened up the scoring with a layup by Akasha Davis, yet the Cougars clawed right back as Boothe sank her first three to give the Cougars a lead at 3-2.
This led to both teams scoring on each other back-to-back, however, the Cougars ended the quarter on a positive note as another Boothe a trey lifted the Cougars to the lead at 11-9.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals struck first as Angel Hastings nailed two free throws to tie the game up at 11-11. Nonetheless, the Cougars regained the lead with a swift layup from Collins at 13-11.
Once again, both teams traded blows until, with two minutes remaining, the Cardinals went on a 6-0 run to finish off the quarter, and the Cougars were down 10 at halftime, 30-20.
To start the third, the Cardinals continued their hot streak with a deuce from Davis, boosting their lead up to 12 at 32-20. But Collins then buried a three to snap the Cardinals' streak and bring Chicago State to within nine.
Much like at the beginning of the first two quarters, the teams remained relatively even, which led to the Cardinals preserving their lead, ending the third quarter on top, 45-31.
In the fourth quarter, the Cougars came out hot and executed a 4-0 run to start with two buckets from Miles to pull to within 10.
Ultimately, with Collins playing a starring role, the Cougars actually outscored the Cardinals, 16-10, in the fourth quarter, yet it wasn't enough as Lamar cruised to victory with a final score of 55-47.
The Cougars now face a 10-day layoff before returning to the Jones Convocation Center to face New Mexico State on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 12:00 p.m.
"We need this break, we really do," Sardin said. "We've been in a tough stretch. We have to take care of our bodies and get back to the little things and our defensive mindset."
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title and made an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet.
Follow the Cougars
For complete coverage of Chicago State University athletics, follow us on social media @ChiStateCougars (Twitter), @ChiStateCougars (Instagram), /ChiStateCougars (Facebook), or visit the official home of Chicago State athletics at GoCSUCougars.com.
