GAME INFORMATION
Presbyterian College Blue Hose (8-6) vs. Columbia College Koalas (8-6)
DATE: Sunday, December 31 at 2:00 p.m.
SITE: Templeton Center (Clinton, S.C.)
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: Statbroadcast.com
TICKETS: GoBlueHose.com
PRESBYTERIAN
Record: 8-6
Last Game: December 22, 2023 – Wright State 66, Presbyterian 61
Head Coach: Alaura Sharp (6
th Season)
Record at PC: 63-93
COLUMBIA
Record: 8-6
Last Game: December 15, 2023 – Lander 89, Columbia 61
Head Coach: NaJarius Green (2
nd Season)
Record at Columbia: 18-24
LAST TIME OUT
The Blue Hose took a trip to Las Vegas, NV where they played two games in the Holiday Hoops Classic Tournament. First, they faced the Eastern Washington Eagles where they fell 92-51. PC had a strong third quarter where they scored 19 points while shooting at 45.5% from the field. The following day, the Blue Hose played against the Wright State Raiders where they lost after a close final minute of play 66-61.
Mara Neira scored a new season-high of 25 points,
Tilda Sjokvist totaled 14 points, and the team totaled 36 rebounds, 16 assists, and five steals.
SCOUTING THE KOALAS
Columbia College enters Sunday's game with an 8-6 record after wins over Paine College (x2), Brenau, CIU, Kentucky Christian, Erskine College, St, Andrews, and Bluefield. The Koalas average 68.8 points per game and 38.4 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Anaya Muhammad leads the team with 15.1 ppg and 2.6 spg while shooting at 43.9% from the field. Freshman guard/forward Kamya Hatten leads the team with 5.1 rpg and averages 7.2 ppg.
BLUE HOSE DOUBLE FIGURE SCORERS
Over their first 14 games, Presbyterian has already had nine different players who have scored in double-figures. Brady (nine times), Sjökvist (nine times), Neira (six times), Kierscht (three times), Cunill (twice), Carrillo (once), Kline (once), Kindseth (once), and Herrin (once) have all tallied double-digit scoring games this season.
PRESBYTERIAN – COLUMBIA SERIES
Sunday marks the fourth time that these two teams have met in Presbyterian's Division I history. Their last game was during the 2015-16 season where the Blue Hose won 104-37. PC leads the all-time series between the two teams and has also never scored less than 92 points against Columbia College.
BIG SOUTH STAT LEADERS
As a team, Presbyterian leads the conference with a 39.6 field goal percentage, 13.2 assists per game, a 0.7 assist to turnover ratio, and 25.9 defensive rebounds per game. Individually, the Blue Hose have three players who are ranked in the top 10 in scoring Neira is ranked sixth for her 12.5 ppg, Sjokvist is listed at ninth with 11.8 ppg, and Brady is right behind her with 11.7 ppg. Sjokvist is also ranked fourth for averaging 3.1 apg and sixth for her 1.9 three-point field goals per game. Neira leads the Big South with an average of 2.5 three-point field goals per game and
Ashley Carrillo is ranked sixth for her 2.7 apg.
BIG SOUTH WEEKLY AWARDS
Mara Neira was named the Big South Player of the Week (December 11) after the Blue Hose beat Queens in a 22-point comeback. Neira scored a new season-high of 24 points while shooting 50% from the field (8-of-16) and from outside the arc (4-of-8). She also was one of the leading rebounders after grabbing two offensive boards and four defensive rebounds. She made four of her six free throws with three of them occurring with less than a minute of play in the game. Neira's performance allowed Presbyterian to secure the victory and record their fifth consecutive win of the season. This is the third player from Presbyterian to earn Big South Player of the Week so far this season.
