GREENWOOD, S.C. – In a rematch of last year's semifinals, No. 21 Clayton State (24-6, 15-4 PBC) could not handle the up tempo style of Lander (24-5, 15-4 PBC) as they fell 97-60 in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, March 4. The game was a Peach Belt Conference Tournament Semifinal held at Finis Horne Arena on the campus of Lander.
 
Senior guard Dejoun Dennard (Tampa, Fla.) led the Lakers with a team-high 13 points along with five rebounds while junior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) finished with 11 points and six caroms. Junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) added six points and six boards and junior guard Jimecheia Banks (Phenix, City, Ala.) contributed nine points on 4-of-7 shooting.
 
The Bearcats would race out to an early 11-2 lead over the first 4:11 before Clayton State responded with a traditional three-point play and a long ball to cut it to 11-8 by the 4:38 mark. It would be only a brief respite, however, as LU responded with a dominant 13-2 run over the next 2:59 to extend to a 24-10 margin. The Lakers would answer with five quick points but would find themselves down 28-17 after one.
 
A 12-6 stretch over more than seven minutes would then cut the deficit to five, 34-29, with 2:43 left in the first half. Once again, as Clayton State pulled closer, the Bearcats answered with another debilitating run, this one a 16-4 burst that left them with a 50-33 lead at the break.
 
That would grow to an overall run of 33-6 as Lander scored 17 of the first 19 points in the second half to make it a 67-35 ball game by the 4:07 mark of the third. That would be all that the Bearcats would need as they coasted to a 97-60 victory and a berth in the Peach Belt Conference Championship Game.
 
Breshay Johnson scored 17 points and hauled in 16 boards, 11 off of the offensive glass, and added four steals and three blocks. Ty'Hesha Reynolds followed with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and five assists. Mylea McKenith added 13 points, seven assists and four caroms while Jessica Harris came away with 11 points, six boards and four assists. Kyra Wilson rounded things out with 12 points and six rebounds off the bench.
 
Clayton State entered the weekend as the No. 2 team in the Southeast Region rankings and will now await word on what seed they will be in the upcoming NCAA Division II Tournament. The selection show for the 2017 edition of March Madness will air tomorrow, Sunday, March 5 at 10 p.m. on www.NCAA.com. The Southeast Region Tournament will be held from March 10-13 at the site of the highest seed in the region.
 
NOTES
The NCAA Southeast Region Tournament is likely to be played at No. 4 Columbus State as the unquestioned No. 1 team in the region rankings.