COLUMBIA, S.C. — CIU women's basketball team opened its 2025–26 season on Wednesday evening, falling 96–73 to College of Coastal Georgia in a fast-paced non-conference matchup inside the Moore Fitness Center.

Coastal Georgia used a strong first quarter to build momentum, taking a 35–16 lead after the opening period. CIU responded with improved offensive rhythm as the game progressed, including outscoring the Mariners in the fourth quarter, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Katie Johnson led the Rams with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting while adding seven rebounds. Jerchel Geathers-Washington followed with 13 points and five rebounds, and Audrey Teasley provided a spark off the bench with 11 points. Lily Dunn added nine points, all from beyond the arc, and Magdalena Mihaljevic pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

CIU shot 44.1 percent from the field for the game, while Coastal Georgia shot a jaw-dropping 35-for-100 from the field and used scoring depth, including 46 points in the paint, to maintain control.

With the loss, CIU opens the season 0–1 while Coastal Georgia moves to 1–0. The Rams return to action on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga., at 1 p.m.