MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (13-3, 5-2 PBC) scored 14 points in the extra session and pulled out a thrilling 70-62 overtime decision against Flagler College (2-13, 0-8 PBC) in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Monday, January 16.
 
Senior center Rayven Thomas (North Las Vegas, Nev.) led the way with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, seven of which came off of the offensive glass, to place the Lakers. She was joined by redshirt-senior guard Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) with 11 points, eight caroms and two steals while redshirt-senior center Andrea Benford (Madison, Ga.) finished with 15 points and five boards in 15 minutes.
 
Junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) just missed a double-double of her own with eight points and nine rebounds and redshirt-senior forward Ashley Cunningham (Douglasville, Ga.) chipped in with 10 points and four boards. Redshirt-senior guard Tierra Johnson (Edison, N.J.) rounded things out with eight points and three assists.
 
Despite a slow start the Lakers would power out to a 12-5 lead by the 2:57 mark of the first quarter before back-to-back buckets by Flagler made it 12-9 after the opening frame. The Saints would close to within one, 14-13, with 7:43 left in the first half but a 12-0 run by Clayton State over the next 4:30 would extend their advantage to 26-13. FC would recover over the final 3:13 of the quarter, however, as they narrowed the gap 28-22 by the break.
 
It would be a different story at the start of the second half as Flagler opened with a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to 34-32 by the 5:54 mark of the third. They would continue the pressure, eventually pushing to a 40-36 margin behind an overall run of 18-6.
 
After closing the frame with FC holding a narrow 44-42 margin it would turn into a back-and-forth game with eight lead changes and a pair of ties. The last of those lead changes would be a layup by the Saints with 1:01 left that gave them a 56-54 lead.
 
The Lakers' Benford would then come down and tie at 56-56 with a jumper in the paint with 44 seconds left before the defense forced a turnover on the ensuing possession. Unable to convert after that turnover, FC got the ball back with five seconds to go but could not hit a three-pointer from the wing, forcing overtime.
 
In that extra session the clubs would find themselves deadlocked again, this time at 58-58, before Hawkins drained a three from the left wing for a 61-58 lead at 3:41. After a Flagler bucket to cut it to one, Benford would convert a traditional three-point play for a 64-60 advantage with 3:05 to play.
 
The Saints would narrow the deficit to two behind a pair of free throws just seconds later but six points by Rackley down the stretch would secure the 70-62 overtime victory.
 
Tiffany Hodge led the way for Flagler with a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards while Jazzy Mathis finished with a game-high 17 points. Bri Roberts added 10 points, three rebounds and a pair of assists to wrap up FC's top performers.
 
The Lakers are right back in action on Wednesday, January 18 when they travel to No. 17 North Georgia. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Dahlonega, Georgia.
 
NOTES
Clayton State is now 8-1 all-time against Flagler dating back to the first meeting in 2006.