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MORROW, Ga. – Taking on some of the greats in the program's illustrious history, Clayton State (0-0, 0-0 PBC) outlasted the Alumni (0-0) as they delivered a 77-66 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball exhibition on Tuesday, November 10.
 
Redshirt-junior guard Tierra Johnson (Edison, N.J.) led all scorers with 20 points and added six boards and three steals while senior center DaQuenna Moore (Plantersville, Ga.) finished with a near double-double of 14 points and nine rebounds, along with five assists.
 
Redshirt-junior center Andrea Benford (Madison, Ga.) notched 16 points and nine boards in 32 minutes of action and redshirt-junior guard Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) had 12 points. Senior guard Kenisha Jones-Barrett (Winter Haven, Fla.) rounded out the top performers with a well-rounded game of eight points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in 24 minutes.
 
Neither team could gain any amount of separation over the first 7:22 as the Lakers managed just an 11-9 lead. Over the final 2:16 of the opening quarter they would mount a 9-1 run close the frame and extend to a 20-10 advantage.
 
A bucket to begin the second period would stretch to an 11-1 run as Clayton State built a 32-18 lead by the 5:03 mark. The Alumni would flip the script, however, as they powered out to a 16-5 run over the next 4:09 to cut the deficit to 37-34 with 54 seconds left in the half. Johnson would then knock down a pair of jumpers to send the Lakers to the break holding a 41-34 lead.
 
In the third, the Alumni would come out firing, using a 13-6 run to knot the score at 47-47 at the 4:21 mark before deadlocking at 49-49 more than a minute later. Over the final 3:08, the Lakers would push out ahead by a couple of points before the Alumni clawed back into shouting distance.
 
With the score at 55-54, Jones-Barrett would knock down a three-pointer with four seconds left to close the quarter and spark a 13-2 run that would carry until the 5:49 mark of the fourth, leaving Clayton State with a 68-56 advantage.
 
The Alumni's Brittany Hall then converted a conventional three-point play before knocking down a triple for her own personal 6-0 run, closing the gap to 68-62 with 4:11 to play. From there, however, it would be all Lakers as they closed the game with a 9-4 stretch, locking up the 77-68 exhibition victory.
 
Hall lead the way for the Alumni with 16 points, seven boards and three assists while LaTonda Bruce finished with 15 points, four rebounds and a game-high five steals. Dominique Jennings and Drameka Griggs each notched 11 points and Shanrika Hardeman pulled down a game-high tying nine caroms.
 
The Lakers open the regular season down in Savannah at the Second Annual B.J. Ford Classic on November 13-14. Hosted by Armstrong State, Clayton State will take on Palm Beach Atlantic at 5:30 p.m. on Day 1 before closing the opening weekend with Lynn at 2 p.m.
 
NOTES
Members of the Alumni included Dominque Jennings (2007-09), LaTonda Bruce (2009-11), Drameka Griggs (2010-12), Renee Jackson (2010-11), Tiayra Green (2013-15), Brittany Hall (2008-12), Yishica Sims (2013-15) and Shanrika Hardeman (2007-09).