Clayton State University Athletics

One of the greatest three-point shooters in program history, Michael Sloan achieved things no other Laker has and was a key element to one of the most successful eras in Clayton State men's basketball's NCAA Division II history.
 
Over the course of 125 games and 108 starts, Sloan drained a program record 190 threes at a clip of better than 37-percent and led the program to an 82-43 (.656) overall record. His 1,261 points rank second all-time in program history and, even more than a decade since he last donned the Orange and Blue, he still holds the team record for steals with 180 and single season marks for three-pointers (72 in 2006-07) and free throw percentage (.855 in 2007-08).
 
An All-Peach Belt Conference First-Team selection in 2007-08 and All-Tournament choice in 2006-07, Sloan earned both of those honors while taking the Lakers where they had never gone before. After leading the club to a 20-plus win season (21-7) for just the fourth time in program history in 2005-06, his junior campaign would see an NCAA Division II era win record with a mark of 24-8. It would also include a still program record 17 straight wins, that to open the season.
 
That year would also mark the team's first appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament and it would be a memorable one. Ranked No. 25 in the country and taking on Catawba, Sloan would score 15 points and knock down two huge lead changing three-pointers in overtime as the Lakers earned a 72-69 victory, their first at that level. It would then take a last second layup in overtime by Virginia Union to end that first run by a 71-70 score in the semifinals
 
The 2007-08 season would not see that same level of success during the regular season as the club entered the PBC Tournament with only slight prospects at 13-14. As it turned out, the prospects would be slight for the opposition.
 
Behind the play of Sloan, Clayton State proceeded to slip past UNC Pembroke 53-50 in the opening round before stunning No. 10 Augusta 63-62 to advance to the PBC Tournament Semifinals. They would then down Georgia College 73-65 to advance to the championship game. Their reward – a meeting with one of the best teams in the country in USC Aiken.
 
It wouldn't matter as Sloan dropped 16 as the Lakers claimed their first ever PBC Tournament Championship in an 89-87 triple overtime thriller – and then got to do it all over again. Clayton State would make its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and once again face the Pacers, this time as the No. 8 seed. Sloan would put up 14 points in that one and the Lakers ended No. 6 USCA's season with a 60-58 win.
 
They wouldn't be the last either as their trip to the South Atlantic Region Semifinals would see Sloan score 21 as Clayton State took out Lenoir-Rhyne 83-69 – in overtime. They didn't allow them a single point. While that run would end in the region championship game with an 89-72 loss to powerhouse Augusta, it made the Lakers the first, and still only, team in program history to reach a region final.
 
Sloan was a huge part of not just that run but an incredible four year stretch that redefined Clayton State men's basketball at the Division II level.


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