Skyhawks defeat Koalas in final regular-season home game

WEST POINT, Ga. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Junior Iyanna McMillan scored 23 points, and the Point University women's basketball team defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Columbia College 65-57 Thursday night inside West Point Park Gymnasium.

With Thursday's win, the Skyhawks advance to 13-5 (12-5 AAC) while the Koalas fall to 7-11 (6-11 AAC).

Game flow

The Skyhawks and the Koalas played a close first quarter with four ties and two lead changes. Tied at 14 with a minute and a half left, Nicole Izuagie connected for a three to put the Skyhawks ahead 17-14 entering the second quarter. The Skyhawks held on to the lead for the entire second period, earning their largest lead of the half at eight points off a made free-throw by Hannah Williams.

In the second half, Columbia opened the half with a triple by Jordan Morgan followed by back-to-back made two-pointers to regain the lead. The Koalas' lead was short-lived as Point answered with a 9-0 run. Marta Gimenez and Williams connected for back-to-back three-pointers to help extend Point's lead back out to eight. The Koalas would tie the game for the fifth time and regain the lead with under two minutes remaining in the quarter, but a triple by McMillan gave Point a one-point lead entering the final quarter.

The Skyhawks led by no more than three points for majority of the fourth quarter, but a two-pointer by McMillan would extend Point's lead out to four with under a minute and a half left to make it a two-possession game. Gimenez extended Point's lead to six off two made free-throws before Columbia's Mary Wimberly brought the score back to four. With under 10 seconds remaining in the game, McMillan was sent to the foul line twice, scoring all four baskets to extend Point's lead to eight to end the game.

In the box

McMillan's 23 points marks her seventh game in a row that she has made it to the double-figures scoring column. McMillan was 6-for-16 from the field and 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. Gimenez followed with 14 points, with nine of her points coming from the free-throw line. Williams rounded out the Skyhawks in double figures with 10 points. Forbes led the Skyhawks under the basket with 10 boards.

Up next

With the conclusion of the Skyhawks' home schedule, Point will close out its regular-season schedule with two road games before the AAC championship tournament begins. Point's next contest will be against AAC foe Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, on Saturday, Feb. 13, before traveling to Dayton, Tennessee, to face Bryan College on Monday, Feb. 15.