GAFFNEY, S.C. – No. 24 Clayton State (22-7, 15-4 PBC) could not withstand a strong second half by No. 5 seed Anderson (23-6, 18-4 SAC) as they dropped an 80-56 decision in an NCAA Division II Southeast Region Women's Basketball Quarterfinal on Friday, March 11.
 
Senior center DaQuenna Moore (Plantersville, S.C.) led the way with eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds while redshirt-junior center Andrea Benford (Madison, Ga.) finished with nine points and seven boards. Senior forward Shay Upshaw (Tampa, Fla.) added 11 points and five caroms and senior guard Kayla Pryce (Melbourne, Fla.) had eight points and a game-high tying six assists.
 
After Clayton State took an early 5-0 lead over the first two and a half minutes, the teams battled through five ties and seven lead changes. The last of those would come on a three from Pryce to give the Lakers a 22-20 lead at the end of one.
 
From there, however, Anderson would come alive as they put together an 18-2 run over the first 6:41 that would leave them with a 38-24 lead. Clayton State would finally quell that run with six straight points as part of a 7-3 stretch to close the half and pull to within 41-31 at the break.
 
In the third quarter, the Trojans would stretch the lead to 16 points at 53-37 behind a 12-6 stretch before the Lakers cut the deficit to 56-44. From there, however, AU would score 24 of the next 36 points to stretch to a 24 point advantage and wrap up the 80-56 victory.
 
Heather Jankowy delivered a near triple-double with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists while Alexis Dillard had 13 points and nine boards. Nakia Young finished with 11 points, five rebounds and six assists and Jennifer Monroe and Madison Floyd each added 11 points. Tamia Eatmon rounded out the top performers with seven points, five boards and three assists.
 
With the loss, the Lakers close out a highly successful 2015-16 campaign with a 22-7 overall record, the 11^th season with at least 20 wins and the 11^th trip in 12 years to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
NOTES
Clayton State now holds a 21-10 all-time record in the NCAA Division II Tournament.