MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (19-4, 11-3 PBC) survived a 21-4 second half run and hit the game winner as time expired to deny North Georgia (17-6, 9-5 PBC) and claim a thrilling 58-57 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Monday, February 6.
 
Trailing 55-52 after surrendering a 21-4 second half run, the Lakers battled back to within one on a pair of occasions. The last of those came with 1:11 left and the Nighthawks holding a 57-56 lead. Clayton State would force a turnover on the very next play but couldn't capitalize on a jumper at the other end.
 
After forcing an empty possession at the other end and getting the ball back with 20 seconds left, they ran the clock down at the other end before initiating a wild sequence. A jumper in the lane by redshirt-senior guard Tweety Hawkins (Madison, Ga.) went off the rim and was quickly rebounded by redshirt-senior forward Ashley Cunningham (Douglasville, Ga.).
 
Unable to convert with time winding down, redshirt-senior center Andrea Benford (Madison, Ga.) grabbed the board with one second left and laid it in right before the final buzzer for an incredible 58-57 victory.
 
Junior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) would lead the way for the Lakers with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. She was joined by Benford with 12 points, four rebounds and a pair of blocks while senior center Rayven Thomas (North Las Vegas, Nev.) finished with seven points and seven boards. Cunningham added six caroms to round out the top performers.
 
Clayton State would surge out to leads of 7-2 and 11-6 in the first quarter before UNG put together a 7-2 run of their own to knot it at 13-13 with 1:01 left in the frame. The Lakers would close the quarter with an 18-15 lead but the game would remain tight with the Nighthawks closing to 20-19 just over a minute in.
 
At that point, Thomas score five points and help fuel a 10-0 run over a span of 2:49 that stretched Clayton State's lead to 30-19 by the 6:08 mark. Those would be their last points of the half, however, as North Georgia cranked up the defensive pressure and closed with a 7-0 run to head to the break with the score at 30-26.
 
The Lakers would take care of that drought in the opening minutes of the second half as they extended to a 37-32 lead just over three minutes into the third. Following a bucket by UNG that cut it to three, Clayton State exploded for an 11-0 run fueled by three triples and eight points by Alexander. That burst pushed the lead to 48-34 with 3:22 left.
 
Things would change dramatically from there, however, as the Nighthawks came alive over the next 10:36. During that span they put together a massive 21-4 to come all the way back and take a 55-52 lead with 2:46 to play, setting the stage for a frantic finish that left the Lakers with a thrilling 58-57 victory.
 
Kelsey Hutchins delivered an impressive outing to lead UNG with 19 points and eight rebounds while Amber Skidgel finished with 11 points and eight boards. Jordan Livesay added seven points and seven caroms and Julie McKie chipped in with seven points and five rebounds.
 
The Lakers return to action when they travel to No. 10/10 Columbus State on Thursday, February 8. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Columbus, Georgia.
 
NOTES
With a 63-62 win in Dahlonega on January 18, Clayton State has earned a season sweep of North Georgia.