BABSON PARK, Fla. (December 9, 2020) – Paris Copeland scored a season-high 26 points and Amaya Small scored 20 for the Webber International University women's basketball team, but it came on a poor shooting night for the Warriors, who fell 73-68 to Columbia International University on Wednesday evening inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center.

Webber (6-2 overall) was held to only nine points, three made field goals and an 0-for-5 mark from three in the first quarter.

The Warriors trailed by as much as 11 points in the first half at 30-19 with just under two minutes left before halftime. Then after trailing by only six at halftime at 30-24, the Warriors started the second half with back-to-back layups by Copeland to get within two at 30-28.

Unfortunately, over the final two minutes of the third quarter, Columbia International (5-6) outscored Webber 11-2 to take a 13-point lead at 54-41.

With 5:23 left to play, Webber got back to within four at 57-53 on a layup by Small, capping a 12-3 Warrior run to open the final period.

A free throw by Dasia Wandick with 1:35 remaining made it a four-point game again at 66-62, but CIU proceeded to hit each of its next six free throw attempts to keep Webber from getting any closer. In all, the Rams were 9-for-11 from the free throw line in the final 10 minutes and were 80 percent (12-15) from the charity stripe for the game.

In the end, the Warriors were held to only 2-for-18 (11.1 percent) shooting from three, and shot only 60.9 percent (14-23) from the free throw line. CIU, meanwhile, shot 50 percent or better both from the field and from 3-point range in three of the four quarters.

Webber did, however, outrebound CIU 18-7 on the offensive glass, leading to a 17-10 advantage in second chance points, and forced 24 Ram turnovers to outscore them 24-12 in points off turnovers.

In addition to her 26 points, Copeland was 6-for-6 from the free throw line and also added four assists while Small added 10 rebounds for her second double-double in three games. Both players finished with nine made field goals for the Warriors.

LeAndra Franklin scored eight points on 4-for-4 shooting from the free throw line while also adding seven steals, six assists and five rebounds, and Thalia Jackson finished with nine rebounds.

Next up, the Warriors will play an exhibition game at Jacksonville University at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 11, followed by a 2 p.m. nonconference game the following day at Edward Waters College on Saturday, December 12.