AUGUSTA, Ga. – Clayton State (13-11, 10-8 PBC) secured its fifth straight victory as they overpowered Augusta (4-18, 2-16 PBC) by a 64-49 score in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, February 12.
 
Senior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) played the best game of her career, finishing with a career-high 24 points, 12 rebounds and three steals while junior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) finished with 10 points and a pair of steals.
 
They were joined by redshirt-junior guard Kietta Saunders (Chicago, Ill.) with a career-high tying six assists, junior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) with 10 points and five caroms and senior guard Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) with eight points.
 
Augusta raced out to a surprising 16-8 lead over the first 7:11 before Clayton State responded with back-to-back buckets by Rackley as part of six straight points to cut it to 16-14 with 47 seconds left in the first. The Jags would then notch a pair of free throws to take a four point margin into the second frame.
 
A 5-0 burst by the Lakers then gave them a 19-18 lead at the 8:24 mark before Jahmia Bradley promptly knocked down a three at the other end to return the lead to Augusta. From there, three straight Laker baskets gave them their largest lead, 27-21, with 3:43 left in the half.
 
That margin would grow to 35-24 with 37 seconds to go as the overall run stretched to 17-5. They would then close the half with a 35-26 advantage. Rackley scored 18 of her 24 points over the first 20 minutes.
 
It would get no better for the Jaguars in the second half, however, as the Lakers scored 10 of the first 13 points to extend to a commanding 45-29 margin with 1:40 on the clock. An exchange of jumpers would then send the teams to the fourth with the score at 47-31.
 
The lead would grow to 53-35 with 6:12 remaining before Augusta clawed to within 60-47 just over four minutes later. They would get no closer as Clayton State proceeded to lock up their season-high fifth straight win, 64-49.
 
Ashleigh Outler led the Jags with 16 points behind four triples while Bradley finished with 13 points and three steals. Brianna Middleton scored just five points but ripped down 14 boards, an amazing 10 of those off of the offensive glass, while adding two steals and a pair of assists. Moneshia Goldsborough chipped in with four points, six caroms, three assists and two blocks to round things out.
 
The Lakers wrap up a three-game road trip as they head to league leading North Georgia on Wednesday, February 14. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Dahlonega, Georgia.
 
NOTES
Rackley surpassed her previous career-high of 21 points set at Georgia College on January 10, 2018 … Clayton State's five game win streak has propelled them to within a half game of the sixth position in the PBC standings … they trail Francis Marion who plays at home against Young Harris on Tuesday, February 13.