Cougars’ Widaman big factor

Columbia College freshman guard Whitney Widaman started playing basketball when she was 5. Her mother was the coach, and she gave Widaman some advice that has stuck with her.

“Mom always told me to play big,” said Widaman, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Widaman listened to her mother.

Thursday night at Southwell Complex, Widaman scored a game-high 23 points, helping the No. 2-seed Cougars women’s basketball team defeat No. 3-seed Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars 82-73 in the semifinals of the American Midwest Conference tournament.

“She may be listed at 5-6, but it doesn’t list her heart in there,” Columbia College coach Mike Davis said.

Davis said after the game that Widaman has been “really banged up” lately. Widaman suffered a slight concussion during the Cougars’ quarterfinal game Tuesday night against Missouri Baptist. Then at practice on Wednesday, Widaman strained her left hip flexor.

You couldn’t tell that on Thursday.

“I blocked all the pain out,” said Widaman who could be seen diving for loose balls and initiating contact throughout the game.

“She is so energetic. She’s on fire all the time...the Energizer bunny is what I call her,” said junior guard Amber Lewellen, who had had 20 points.

Although Widaman is a freshman, Davis said he expects that level of play from her.

He said when high schoolers decide to play at Columbia College, they know “they are going to play in conference championship games, they’re going to play in national tournaments.”

With the victory, the Cougars advance to the finals of the AMC tournament. They will play No. 4-seed Harris-Stowe State, which upset No. 1-seed McKendree College on Thursday night.

Because the Cougars are the highest remaining seed, they will host the final at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Davis said it was fitting to play the final at Southwell Complex.

“Most of them have come through this gym, so that’s only right,” Davis said.