MORROW, Ga. – In front of hundreds of highly accomplished elementary and middle school students on Clayton County Education Day, Clayton State (0-2, 0-0 PBC) used an impressive 51-12 run to demolish Carver (1-5) by a 90-49 score in an NCAA Division II women's basketball exhibition on Thursday, November 16. The game counted towards Carver's regular season record.
 
Junior guard Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) delivered a game-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, along with four steals, while former Armstrong State teammate and senior guard Mercedes Jenkins (Jonesboro, Ga.) finished with seven points, seven assists, five boards and three steals in her Laker debut.
 
They were joined by junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) with 13 points, four assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals and junior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Redshirt-junior center Shaquoria Miles (Garysburg, N.C.) added eight points and seven caroms and freshman guard Tatiana Foster (Atlanta, Ga.) chipped in with six points and four steals to round out the top performers.
 
Following a pair of early leads by the Cougars, the last at 7-6 with 5:40 left in the first quarter, Clayton State righted the ship with a 17-6 run to close the frame with a 23-13 advantage. That offensive outburst would turn into a sustained effort in the second period.
 
In that 10 minute stretch they outscored Carver 30-6 behind seven different scorers, including 10 points from Grimsley. That effort extended their overall run to 47-12 and sent them to the break with a massive 53-19 lead.
 
After seeing the margin move to 38 points at 57-19 by the 8:08 mark of the third, the Cougars would finally find some success. Over the next three-plus minutes they put together a 13-0 run that included seven points from Nancy Jonathan and cut the deficit to 57-32.
 
That would be the extent of that success, however, as the Lakers then held serve and closed the frame with a 26 point advantage, 69-43. The fourth quarter would see Carver held to its second six point stretch as Clayton State outscored them 21-6 to close out the 90-49 exhibition victory.
 
Jonathan led Carver with 12 points and eight rebounds while Antwannet Thomas finished with 12 points, five boards and four steals in 32 minutes. Lutitia Suggs just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine caroms and Taylor Tucker chipped in with seven points and four rebounds.
 
The Lakers return to regular season action this weekend and do so in a big way with a trip to No. 24 Lincoln Memorial (1-2, 0-0 SAC). A rematch of last year's NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Quarterfinal, the game is set for a 2 p.m. tip in Harrogate, Tennessee on Saturday, November 18.
 
NOTES
The game represented Clayton State Athletics Third Annual Clayton County Middle School Education Day … students from 15 middle schools in the county, and one elementary school, were treated to free admission, presented with certificates and each school received a plaque … each of the students earned the trip as a result of making the "A" Honor Roll for the Fall Semester.