MORROW, Ga. – Taking on one of the top teams in the Peach Belt Conference, Clayton State (10-11, 7-8 PBC) pulled off a thrilling comeback to upset Francis Marion (13-7, 10-5 PBC) by a 68-63 score in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, February 3.
 
Junior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) scored a career-high 18 points with four boards and a pair of steals to pace the Lakers. Junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) had a key three-point play as she finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three assists.
 
Junior guard Aysia Grimsley (Marietta, Ga.) had 13 points, four assists and three steals and junior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) rounded things out with five points, nine caroms and a pair of steals.
 
FMU hit the ground running over the first three and a half minutes as they took an 8-2 lead behind several steals. Trailing 14-9 with 1:54 on the clock the Lakers scored 11 of the next 18 points to pull to within 21-20 by the end of the opening stanza.
 
The second quarter would see the Patriots extend their advantage to 28-22 by the 8:22 mark before Clayton State used a 7-2 burst to once again get within one point, this time 30-29 with 6:27 on the clock.
 
Back-to-back jumpers by Shaunice Fulmore then pushed to a five point advantage before a 9-3 run propelled the Lakers to their first lead of the game at 38-37 with 53 seconds remaining in the period. From there they would head to the break with a narrow 40-39 advantage.
 
That margin would stretch to 45-41 in the opening two minutes of the second half before a 9-2 run by FMU flipped the script and gave them a 50-47 lead with 5:03 left in the third. They would maintain that lead, albeit at just one point, before extending to a 61-53 advantage by the 5:07 mark. It would be the last time they would have the lead.
 
From that point it would be all Lakers as they launched a game-ending 17-2 run to turn what looked to be a disheartening loss into a thrilling comeback and 68-63 victory. During that run Rackley converted a traditional three-point play to give Clayton State the lead at 64-63 with 47 seconds left before Bland knocked down a pair of free throws before stealing the ball on the ensuing possession and taking it the distance to polish off the five point win.
 
Fulmore led the Patriots with 24 points, 12 boards, four steals, two assists and a pair of blocks while Khai Chandler equaled the point total with 24 and added four steals and five caroms. Kristin Tines ripped down 11 rebounds, six off of the offensive glass, and Keanua Williams added four points, three assists and three steals. Abigail bullock chipped in with eight points.
 
The Lakers stay at home as they host Georgia College on Wednesday, February 7. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at The Loch.