PEMBROKE, N.C. – In their Peach Belt Conference opener, No. 15/20 Clayton State (8-2, 0-1 PBC) could not continue their success from non-conference play as a disastrous second half allowed UNC Pembroke (5-2, 1-0 PBC) to come away with a 76-61 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, December 17.
 
Redshirt-senior guard Tierra Johnson (Edison, N.J.) would drop 21 points, all in the first half, to lead the way while junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) finished with eight points and six rebounds.
 
Redshirt-senior forward Ashley Cunningham (Douglasville, Ga.) added eight points and five caroms and senior center Rayven Thomas (North Las Vegas, Nev.) led the club with seven boards. Redshirt-senior guard Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) chipped in with eight points.
 
The Lakers opened with an 8-3 stretch before UNCP battled back to tie the score at 14-14 by the 3:25 mark of the first quarter. Over the next 3:40, however, Clayton State would regain control as they exploded for a 14-2 run behind seven points from Johnson, taking a 28-16 lead.
 
That margin would eventually grow to 40-27 just outside of two minutes left in the second. At that point the Braves score six straight points to cut it to 40-33 before a Banks three and a Johnson layup made it 45-33 at the break.
 
It would be a completely different feel for the Lakers in the third quarter as they managed just four points after nearly getting half way to a hundred in the first half. Over the 10 minute period, UNC Pembroke would take advantage of that offensive drought scoring 16 points to tie it at 49-49 with 3:19 on the clock.
 
Neither team would find the bottom of the net the rest of the frame as both went cold. That would change for the Braves at the start of the fourth as they went on a game-changing 17-4 run over the first five minutes to take a commanding 66-53 lead.
 
Clayton State would finally stem the tide with a three point play to cut the deficit to 10 points, 66-56, but it would be to no avail. Over the final 4:46, UNCP would run out the clock on an upset 76-61 victory.
 
Jasmine Huntley led the Braves with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and Jonissa Monley recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Airico Williams joined her with 10 points, 12 caroms and five assists and Jillian Ebron added nine points.
 
The Lakers are back in action on Monday, December 19 as they close out the 2016 portion of the schedule against USC Aiken. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at The Loch.