MORROW, Ga. – No. 25 Clayton State (23-6, 19-3 PBC) returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007-08 season as they take on No. 5 Seed Carson-Newman (23-7, 14-6 SAC) in a Southeast Regional Quarterfinal on Saturday, March 10. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. in Harrogate, Tennessee on the campus of Lincoln Memorial.
 
SERIES HISTORY
All-time Clayton State has only faced Carson-Newman twice, both coming since the 2014-15 campaign. The series stands at 1-1 with a 62-58 Laker victory at The Loch on December 2, 2014 and an 83-66 decision by the Eagles in Jefferson City, Tennessee exactly a year later on December 2, 2015.
 
A LOOK AT THE 2018 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FIELD
Looking at the region field, the top half of the bracket features a matchup between No. 1 LMU and No. 8 seed King (19-10) followed by the Lakers against CNU. In the bottom part of the bracket, No. 2 seed Queens (28-3) takes on No. 7 seed Lees-McRae (23-8) and No. 3 seed UNC Pembroke (26-5) faces fellow PBC member and No. 6 seed Francis Marion (20-9) in a rematch of the PBC Tournament Semifinals.
 
The Lakers are a combined 2-4 against the Southeast Region field this year with a split with FMU, a 1-2 mark vs. UNC Pembroke and a loss to then No. 2 Queens to start the season. In their program history, Clayton State has never faced Lincoln Memorial or Lees-McRae.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Lakers return to the tournament for the first time since the 2007-08 team went from a sub-.500 Peach Belt Conference Tournament participant to Southeast Region Runner-Up with a six-game win streak against some of the toughest teams in the country at the right time.
 
A No. 8 seed that year, Clayton State defeated No. 6 USC Aiken in the first round before downing Lenoir-Rhyne in the semifinals before falling to eventual national runner-up Augusta in the Southeast Regional Championship Game.
 
That followed their first appearance as a No. 3 seed in 2006-07 when they earned a 72-69 victory over Catawba in their very first game. It would take a narrow 71-70 overtime decision to 2006 NCAA Division II National Runner-Up Virginia Union in the semifinals.
 
Both previous appearances have come at regionals hosted by Augusta, making this the Lakers first NCAA trip outside the State of Georgia.
 
2008 (Augusta, Ga. – Augusta State)
March 18 – Augusta def. Clayton State 89-72
March 16 – Clayton State def. Lenoir-Rhyne 83-69 (OT)
March 15 - Clayton State def. No. 6 USC Aiken 60-58
 
2007 (Augusta, Ga. – Augusta State)
March 11 – No. 16 Virginia Union def. No. 25 Clayton State 71-70 (OT)
March 10 – No. 25 Clayton State def. Catawba 72-69
 
TICKETS AND VENUE
The Southeast Regional will be held at LMU's Tex Turner Arena, a 5,009-seat arena widely regarded as one of the best in NCAA Division II. It is the third time in the last four years that the Railsplitters have hosted the tournament. Ticket prices for this year's seven game event will be $5 per session, with two sessions on Saturday, March 10 and one each for the semifinals on Sunday, March 11 and the championship on Tuesday, March 13.

LIVE COVERAGE
Full coverage of the game will be available on live stats and live video on www.ClaytonStateSports.com. In-depth coverage of the full regional can be found at LMU's Southeast Regional Central page.

Scouting The Clayton State University Lakers
Record: 23-6, 19-3 PBC
Last Time Out: L, 70-60 vs. No. 24 UNC Pembroke on March 4
Streak: One Loss
 
Quick Links
Men's Basketball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Jaylen Taylor – 12.7 ppg.
Rebounding: Jaylen Taylor – 8.1 rpg.
Assists: Nathan Powell – 4.3 apg.
Steals: Dantez Bennamon – 1.3 spg.
Blocks: Jaylen Taylor  – 0.8 bpg.
Field Goal Percentage: Jaylen Taylor - .526
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: Aubrey McRae - .446
Free Throw Percentage: Aubrey McRae – .833
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 81.2
Rebounding: 40.0
Assists: 13.6
Steals: 6.9
Blocks: 2.5
Field Goal Percentage: .454
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: .388
Free Throw Percentage: .716
 
Scouting The No. 5 Seed Carson-Newman University Eagles
Record: 23-7, 14-6 SAC
Last Time Out: L, 92-73 vs. Queens on March 3
Streak: One Loss
 
Quick Links
Men's Basketball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
2017-18 Individual Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Charles Clark – 21.3
Rebounding: Shaun Jones – 6.5
Assists: Charles Clark – 4.2
Steals: Charles Clark – 1.7
Blocks: Josh Murray – 1.6
Field Goal Percentage: Shaun Jones - .589
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: Charles Clark - .421
Free Throw Percentage: Charles Clark - .879
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 89.1
Rebounding: 39.9
Assists: 18.5
Steals: 6.1
Blocks: 3.5
Field Goal Percentage: .514
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: .410
Free Throw Percentage: .705