Gaffney, S.C.----Columbus State University senior guard Michelle Mitchell (Eastman, Ga.) posted 25 points to lead the Cougars to a 79-72 NCAA Division II Southeast Region first round victory over Wingate University Friday afternoon in the Timken Center. Four Cougars hit double-digit points as Columbus State improves to 25-5 overall. Wingate concludes the 2015-16 campaign 21-9 overall.
 
The Bulldogs see an 11-game winning streak end on Friday. Wingate sophomore center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) topped the Bulldog charts with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Wingate senior forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) had a solid final game in the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold with 17 markers. Columbus State will play the Lander-Francis Marion winner Saturday at 5 p.m. (at Limestone).

"I was pleased and proud of our effort today," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "Columbus State is a terrific team. They have all the pieces to make a deep run in the tournament. Our hats are off to them."
 
In addition to her 25 markers, Mitchell pulled down seven rebounds and went six-for-six from the foul line. Teammate Ashley Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) also accumulated seven boards on the night in support. Junior forward Ashley Asouzu (Dothan, Ala.) reinforced the offense converting six-of-11 field goals and posting 15 points on the night, followed by junior guard Gabby Williams (Mobile, Ala.) with 13 points and seven assists.
 
Wingate outrebounded the Peach Belt Conference champions 39-33. The Bulldogs won four of the five primary specialty statistics categories: points in the paint (34-26), points off turnovers (18-12), second-chance points (22-13) and bench points (42-9). "We did a lot of good things," Hancock says. "We beat them on the boards which was a concern for us."
 
The Bulldog offensive efforts were widespread throughout the afternoon as freshmen guards Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) and Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) contributed eight points each, as did junior forward Kristina Rumplasch (Mount Airy, N.C.). Additionally, both Rumplasch and Averette each converted two-of-three shots from downtown.
 
The contest featured three ties and eight lead changes with six of the lead changes in the first 20 minutes. Wingate took its final lead on a Rumplasch hoop with four minutes left in the third quarter, giving the Bulldogs a 47-46 advantage. After the two teams exchanged misses, Mitchell nailed a three-point field goal (2:58) to give the Cougars the lead for good.
 
Columbus State led by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter before Wingate cut the final deficit to seven. The Cougars shot 50 percent in the second half (14-of-28), while the Bulldogs managed only 37.8 percent shooting after intermission (14-of-37). CSU shot 49.2 percent on the afternoon (29-of-59), while Wingate hit 41.5 percent (27-of-65). Both teams hit seven triples on the day.
 
"I'm sad to see the end for our seniors Morgan McGee and Alysia Hudson (Jacksonville, N.C.)," Hancock says. "They are both very special parts of our program and will be missed. For those coming back, hopefully they will use this game as motivation."