MORROW, Ga. – On a night where defense was optional for both clubs, Clayton State (2-1, 0-0 PBC) erupted for the fifth highest point total in the Division II era, and ninth highest all-time, in a 113-101 victory over LeMoyne-Owen (0-4, 0-0 SIAC) in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Thursday, November 17.
 
The 113 points is the most scored by the Lakers since a 113-44 beating of Knoxville on November 19, 2010 with the last team to score more than that being the 2008-09 squad that notched a 124-69 victory over Carver on December 3 of that year.
 
Since joining Division II in 1995-96, the 113 points trails those marks as well as a program record 130 (130-63) vs. Carver (12/3/03), 120 (120-100) against Allen (12/18/97) and 119 (119-116) at Columbus State (1/13/99). This is the 32^nd time Clayton State has surpassed the triple digit plateau and holds a 31-1 record all-time in such games.
 
Redshirt-senior forward Alfonso Davis (Bronx, N.Y.) led six Lakers in double-figures with 19 points along with nine boards and a pair of blocks. He was joined by junior guard Nathan Powell (Orlando, Fla.) with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals and by junior guard Dantez Bennamon (Goose Creek, S.C.) with 16 points, seven assists and three steals.
 
Graduate guard Mike Scott (Gaithersburg, Md.) drained four threes on his way to 18 points and senior guard Maurice White (Baltimore, Md.) finished with 11 points and six caroms. Graduate forward Jaumonee Byrd (Douglasville, Ga.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
 
The Lakers would come out firing as they took a 15-6 lead by the 15:39 mark and would stave off an LOC rally to extend to a 29-21 advantage with 8:20 left in the half. The Magicians did indeed pull a magic trick out of their bag as they used a 10-2 run to knot the score at 31-31 just under two minutes later.
 
From there the teams would be separated by no more than four points until Scott knocked down a three to make it 44-38 at the 2:45 mark. An 11-5 LeMoyne-Owen run to end the half then deadlocked the score at 49-49 entering the break.
 
Coming out of the half LOC would take their only lead of the night, 54-52, before slowly watching the Lakers regain the lead and pull away. Holding just a 68-64 advantage with 6:30 gone by, they put together a 13-2 stretch that made it a 15 point margin and all but put the game away. The Magicians would get it back under single digits a handful of times but to no avail as they fell by the eventual final of 113-101.
 
Rashawn Brown lit it up for a game-high 26 points along with nine rebounds while Justin Street finished with 21 points and seven boards. Desmond Black and Daron Maston rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points apiece.
 
The Lakers are back in action when they head to Raleigh, North Carolina for a non-conference matchup with Shaw on Monday, November 21. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
NOTES
Clayton State has scored 100 or more points a total of 32 times, losing just one of those games … out of those 32 contests, tonight's game was just the ninth in program history where both teams reached triple digits … it is only the third such game in the program's Division II era, joining a 119-116 triple overtime win at Columbus State on January 13, 1999 and a 120-100 decision over Allen on December 18, 1997 … it is just the sixth time the Lakers have surpassed 100 points against an NCAA Division II opponent and first since a 102-68 decision at North Georgia on February 22, 2006.