GREENWOOD, S.C. – Freshman forward Gabriel Joseph-Bryan (Bronx, N.Y.) delivered the best game of his young career as Clayton State (5-10, 2-7 PBC) fell 95-76 at Lander (6-11, 5-6 PBC) in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Monday, January 21.
 
Joseph-Bryan lit it up with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes, all of which were easily career-highs and off the bench, to lead the Lakers. Junior guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) added 14 points, six boards, five assists and three steals while redshirt-senior guard Aubrey McRae (Augusta, Ga.) chipped in with 10 points.
 
Lander couldn't have hoped for a better beginning as they opened with a commanding 14-0 run over the first 4:22 but that would not last. Over the next four minutes Clayton State would get off the deck, scoring 13 of the next 17 points to close to within 18-13 by the 11:45 mark.
 
A mini 5-0 burst stemmed that surge and brought it back to a double-digit lead but that too would not sustain. The Lakers answered with eight straight points to close to within two points at 23-21 with just under nine minutes left in the half.
 
With the score at 29-21, it would be another Clayton State run, this time 10-2 and ignited by a McRae four point play, that deadlocked the clubs at 31-31. Following an exchange of layups to remain knotted, LU's Elijah Alston drained a three for the lead at the 4:22 mark. Back-to-back buckets then gave the Lakers their first lead, 37-36, but it would be short lived as the Bearcats closed the frame with a 10-4 stretch for a 46-41 halftime lead.
 
That margin would steadily grow over the first three-plus minutes of the second half as Lander methodically produced an 11-2 run that made it 57-43. It would not get any better over the next eight minutes as that grew to an overall stretch of 25-8 and a 71-49 margin with 8:20 left. The Bearcats would then go on to salt away the 95-76 victory over those final minutes.
 
DeShundre Rucker led Lander with 21 points and eight boards and Rahu Purdie finished with 22 points and five assists in 37 minutes. They were joined by Marquel Wiggins with 13 points, five caroms and three steals and Alston with 11 points and seven rebounds. Sidney Robinson and Jordan Dingle each added nine points to round things out.
 
The Lakers wrap up three games in five days when they head to North Georgia on Wednesday, January 23. Game time is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. following the women's contest.