MORROW, Ga. – No. 22 Clayton State (15-1, 9-0 PBC) took care of business against UNC Pembroke (8-8, 3-6 PBC) as they maintained a 20-point second half lead before closing out a 78-60 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Monday, January 18.
Senior center
DaQuenna Moore (Plantersville, S.C.) was one of four Lakers in double-figures, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds and three steals while redshirt-junior guard
Tierra Johnson (Edison, N.J.) and senior guard
Kenisha Jones-Barrett (Winter Haven, Fla.) each had 13 points and four steals.
Redshirt-senior forward
Jessica Covington (Tifton, Ga.) added 10 points and senior guard
Kayla Pryce (Melbourne, Fla.) had seven points, three steals and a pair of assists. Redshirt-junior guard
Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) rounded out the top performers with nine points in 14 minutes.
The lead would change hands six times over the first 6:01 leaving UNCP with a narrow 10-9 advantage. That would change over the next 21 seconds as the Braves scored five straight points for a 15-9 advantage by the 3:25 mark.
Those would be their last points for the next 5:08 as Clayton State came to life with a 13-0 run that left them with a 22-15 lead just 1:23 into the second quarter. That margin would grow to 33-18 as the run would stretch to 24-3 by the 4:54 mark of the period. UNC Pembroke would rally to cut the deficit to nine, 37-28, before the Lakers closed with a 12-5 stretch to take a 49-35 lead into the break.
Following a bucket by the Braves to start the second half, Clayton State ripped off nine straight points to push the lead to 21 points at 58-37 by the 7:50 mark. That lead would dip below the 20-point plateau only briefly as the Lakers pushed out to a 66-42 advantage with 1:37 on the clock before closing the quarter with a 22-point lead.
UNCP would make strides in the fourth, eventually getting within 15 at 75-60 and outscoring the Lakers 16-10. That would be their lone highlight as Clayton State closed out their 12
th straight victory with the 78-60 victory.
Jonissa Monley led the Braves with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds while Jasmine Huntley finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Avery Locklear chipped in with 11 points and Lashonda Prichard had seven points and seven boards.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, January 23 when they host rival North Georgia. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. at The Loch.
