MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (7-7, 4-4 PBC) took an early lead and pulled away in the second half as they downed USC Aiken (3-11, 0-8 PBC) to earn a 60-42 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, January 13.
 
Junior guard Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) rifled in a career-high 22 points to lead the Lakers while junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) just missed a double-double with eight points and 13 boards to go with a career-high four steals. Junior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) added 13 points, five rebounds and career-high equaling four steals to round things out.
 
Clayton State came out firing on all cylinders as they surged out to a 10-0 lead by the 6:58 mark before the Pacers answered back. Over the next 2:23 they would score the next seven points to cut it to 10-7 before closing the quarter with a 12-9 deficit.
 
The Lakers would start the second quarter much like they did in the first as they extended to a 20-12 margin with just 1:50 gone by. It would not get much better for USC Aiken the rest of the frame as the lead ballooned to 33-19 with 32 seconds left in the half. The teams would then head to the break with the score at 33-21 following a bucket by the Pacers.
 
That lead would eventually grow to 14 points at 39-25 over the first four minutes of the third before expanding to 48-32 by the end of the period. The lead would not dip below 15 points the rest of the way, and eventually reach a 20 point margin, before Clayton State closed out the 60-42 victory.
 
Kyrie Chandler lead the Pacers with 13 points while Emily Waters added 10 points. Star Toomey manned the boards with 11 on the day and Marissa Bruce finished with eight caroms.
 
The Lakers continue a three game homestand as they host No. 25 Lander on Monday, January 15. Game time is set for a special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matinee of 1:30 p.m. at The Loch.