MORROW, Ga. – A frenetic finish nearly allowed Clayton State (8-11, 5-8 PBC) to pull off the upset against league leading No. 21 North Georgia (17-2, 12-1 PBC) before dropping a narrow 70-65 decision in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Monday, January 29.
 
Redshirt-junior center Shaquoria Miles (Garysburg, N.C.) hauled in a career-best 16 boards, six off of the offensive glass, while junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) finished with 18 points and four steals.
 
Junior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) added 14 points and six rebounds and junior guard Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) had 15 points and three assists. Freshman guard Dalania Clardy (Riverdale, Ga.) delivered a solid all-around effort with five points, four boards, three assists and three steals and junior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) chipped in with eight points.
 
Over the first 7:48 of the game, one would be hard pressed to pick out which team came in nationally ranked as Clayton State raced out to a 20-7 lead. After closing the opening frame with a 20-13 advantage, the Lakers would extend to a 28-15 margin with 7:22 left in the first half.
 
The rest of the way it would be all Nighthawks as they came all the way back with a 16-3 run that gave them a 33-31 lead at the 1:39 mark. Despite that surge they would not head to the break with the lead as Clardy found Bland on the wing for the go-ahead three-pointer with 16 seconds left to give Clayton State at 34-33 advantage at the half.
 
Coming out of the break the Lakers would make it a three-point game before UNG retook the lead, 40-37, with a 7-3 burst culminating at the five minute mark. It would be Clayton State's turn for a sizable run and they would do it better, notching a 13-2 stretch that put them up 50-42 with 1:36 on the clock.
 
The Nighthawks made it 51-45 at the quarter break before knotting it up at 51-51 just 46 seconds into the fourth as Amber Skidgel hit on back-to-back three-pointers. The teams would then trade buckets, and the lead, before a triple by the Lakers gave them a 56-54 advantage at the 6:57 mark.
 
North Georgia's Deana Blankinship matched that with 5:41 on the clock to give them a 57-56 lead. That would spark a 10-0 run that pushed to a 64-56 lead with 35 seconds left. While that would seemingly polish things off, Clayton State would not go away.
 
A three by Rackley cut it to five points before the Nighthawks sunk a pair of free throws to make it 66-59 with 26 seconds on the clock. From there it got wild as Grimsley nailed a three to cut it to four points, UNG promptly turned it over on the inbounds and Rackley followed with another trey to make it 66-65 with 18 seconds remaining.
 
That would be as close as they would get, however, as North Georgia drained all four of their free throws down the stretch to escape with the 70-65.
 
Skidgel led the Nighthawks with 20 points to go with eight boards while Julie McKie had 12 points, five caroms and three steals. Blankinship just missed a double-double with 10 points and seven boards and Vanessa Agrusa had 11 points and three steals. Mackenzie Darrah added seven points and eight caroms and Abbie Franklin chipped in with six points, four assists and a pair of steals.
 
The Lakers hit the road for a quick trip to Young Harris on Wednesday, January 31 as they continue the home stretch of the PBC season. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Young Harris, Georgia.