HARROGATE, Tenn. – In a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal, Clayton State (0-3, 0-0 PBC) battled No. 12/24 Lincoln Memorial (2-2, 0-0 SAC) through three quarters before falling 76-68 in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, November 18.
 
Junior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) just missed a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds, four offensive, while freshman guard Tatiana Foster (Atlanta, Ga.) finished with 12 points and a game-high five steals.
 
Senior guards Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) and Mercedes Jenkins (Jonesboro, Ga.) added 13 and 11 points, respectively, and junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) ripped down nine boards to go with five points.
 
Down 6-5 after the first two minutes the Lakers would get their legs under them as they exploded for a 12-2 run and a 17-8 lead over the next six-plus minutes. Over the final 1:54 of the quarter, LMU would manage a pair of buckets to cut the deficit to 17-12.
 
The Railsplitters would continue to battle back over the first four-plus minutes of the second quarter, pulling even at 21-21 behind a 9-4 stretch. Having taken that shot, Clayton State responded quickly with six straight points fueled by a pair of steals and back-to-back buckets by Foster before extending to a 31-23 lead by the 3:17 mark. LMU then answered back with a 10-2 run over the remainder of the half and send the teams to the break knotted at 33-33.
 
Lincoln Memorial would continue their offensive prowess at the start of the second half as they used a 15-8 run to pull ahead 48-41 with 5:10 gone by. Once again, the Lakers defense would pump the brakes as they allowed just two points over the next three-plus minutes and allowed the offense to close to within 50-46.
 
The Railsplitters then came back with 10 of the next 12 points to carry a 60-48 lead into the fourth quarter. In that frame, Clayton State would outscore LMU 20-16 to slice the final margin to 76-68.
 
Shea Coker dropped a game-high 32 points with eight rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals to lead Lincoln Memorial while Emily Griffith finished with 15 points and five boards. Karsen Sims rounded out the top performers with five assists, four points and three caroms.
 
The Lakers will now be off until next Saturday, November 25 when they host Paine. Originally scheduled to be played on the road in Augusta, Georgia, that game has been shifted to The Loch as a result of hosting complications at Paine. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
 
NOTES
Last season Lincoln Memorial notched an 87-58 decision in an NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament Quarterfinal.