Eliese Hansberry and Melanie Auguste combined for 39 points, but it wasn’t enough to get Colorado College past defending national champion Howard Payne University in the season opener on Friday night at Reid Gymnasium.
The Yellow Jackets had three players in double figures, using their depth to post an 84-73 victory and spoil Liz Campbell’s debut as head coach at CC.
Hansberry poured in a game-high 21 points, making 10 of 15 shots from the floor and one of two free throws. The only thing that was able to curtail her dominating performance was foul trouble. She picked up three fouls in a span of 6:41 early in the second half and fouled out with 2:38 remaining.
The Yellow Jackets led 47-33 with 16:07 to play in the game, but the Tigers scored 11 of the next 12 points to slice the deficit to four points when Hansberry scored on a short jumper from the right side with 12:49 to go. She picked up her fourth foul 25 seconds later and spent the next six minutes on the bench.
CC’s deficit was still only four points after August converted on a pair of free throws with 5:59 remaining, but Howard Payne used a 17-6 run over the 4:43 to take a 15-point lead, it’s biggest of the game.
Auguste scored 18 points and six assists, and tied Hansberry for the game high with seven rebounds.
Katy Sarem led Howard Payne with 19 points. Brittany Zamora made all eight of her free throws and finished with 19 points, while Hope Hohertz added 10.
Colorado College took its final lead with 10:58 remaining in the first half when Jenny Knapp nailed a three-pointer to make the score 16-14, but HPU countered with a 7-0 run to take a five-point lead with 8:29 remaining.
The Yellow Jackets and Tigers will complete their two-game set on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.