MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Needing to win to keep pace in the Peach Belt Conference West Division, Clayton State (20-4, 14-3 PBC) did just that as they earned their 11^th overall 20-win season with a 77-65 victory at Georgia College (16-10, 8-9 PBC) in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, February 17.
 
Senior guard Kenisha Jones-Barrett (Winter Haven, Fla.) led the way with 19 points, four assists and four steals while redshirt-junior guard Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) finished with 15 points and five assists. Redshirt-junior center Andrea Benford (Madison, Ga.) added 14 points and six rebounds and senior center DaQuenna Moore (Plantersville, S.C.) chipped in with 12 points and six boards. Senior forward Shay Upshaw (Tampa, Fla.) added seven points and seven caroms.
 
Clayton State would jump out to an early 13-8 advantage after the first five minutes before the Bobcats came charging back with a 10-0 run to take the lead at 18-13 by the 3:10 mark. A 5-0 burst, capped by a three-pointer by Hawkins, then closed the quarter with the teams deadlocked at 18-18.
 
From there, however, it would be Georgia College that would find their rhythm as they ripped off the first seven points of the second period to pull ahead 25-18 just 3:35 in. The lead would eventually grow to 33-24 less than a minute later before the Lakers rallied to within six, 36-30, which would end up being the halftime margin.
 
Following an opening bucket by GC, Clayton State pulled back to within two points twice before retaking the lead at 41-40 on another Hawkins triple. That would be the beginning of a 10-0 run that would leave the Lakers with a 48-40 lead with just under a minute left in the quarter. The Bobcats would bounce back with consecutive baskets from Alyah McGriff to narrow it to four points by the break.
 
That would be as close as they would get, however, as Clayton State answered with a 7-2 run to extend to a 55-46 advantage with 6:41 to play. Georgia College would eventually cut it to six, 62-56, on a Veronica Ryan three-pointer at the 3:52 mark but the Lakers would salt away the game as they scored 15 of the final 22 points for the 77-65 victory.
 
McGriff led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting for the Bobcats and added five rebounds while LaRice Walker had 15 points and five assists. Lindsey Reed chipped in with 13 points as the only other double-figure scorer.
 
The Lakers return home for their final two regular season games when they host Young Harris on Senior Night. Tip-off is set for a special time of 3 p.m. at The Loch as part of Homecoming festivities.
 
NOTES
Clayton State earned its 11^th season of 20 wins or more and first since the 2013-14 campaign … that was the last of 10 straight seasons of at least 20 victories, beginning in 2004-05 … it is the first 20-win season under second-year head coach Kaleena Coleman.