MORROW, Ga. – A career game from junior guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) and a late second half rally got them to overtime but an early deficit in that extra frame was too much to overcome as Clayton State (5-12, 2-9 PBC) fell 88-80 to No. 21/24 UNC Pembroke (14-3, 9-2 PBC) in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Wednesday, January 30.
 
Kincey eclipsed his career-high in scoring with 23 points, notched a personal best seven assists and grabbed six boards in 44 minutes, the latter being the most of his career, to lead the Lakers. He was joined by senior forward Jaylen Taylor (Hephzibah, Ga.) with 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
 
Senior guard Justin Tuckson (Stafford, Va.) tied his career-high with four threes on his way to 14 points while redshirt-senior guard Aubrey McRae (Augusta, Ga.) added 10 points and five caroms. Junior guard Christoff Nairn (West Palm Beach, Fla.) rounded things out with seven points and a career-high tying five boards.
 
Clayton State would notch the first two buckets for a 4-0 lead before a 14-3 offensive outburst put UNCP ahead 14-7 at the 12:47 mark. Over the next three plus minutes a 13-2 run, fueled by three triples, would flip the script and propel the Lakers to a 20-16 lead with 9:37 on the clock.
 
From there the Braves would respond with five straight points to pull back ahead by one before a 7-0 stretch by the Lakers, capped by a Nairn three, put them back ahead 27-24 at the 4:33 mark. That margin would grow to 34-30 before UNC Pembroke finished the half with a 7-2 run that allowed them to sneak back ahead, 37-36, at the break.
 
The clubs would see three quick lead changes to start the second half with the last of those leading to a 43-39 Laker advantage at the 18:45 mark. Following a Braves bucket, that series had nothing on what was to come with seven straight lead changes and a tie over the next 4:48.
 
That stretch saw Clayton State come out with a 52-51 lead with 13:57 on the clock, one that they would make a three point margin in the seconds that followed. With the deficit cut to one, it would be four more times the lead would change hands, again with the Lakers coming out ahead, this time 59-57 at 11:05.
 
With the score at 61-58 just under the 10 minute mark, four points from Tyrell Kirk and a long ball by Jamal Bryant fueled a 7-0 burst that gave UNCP back the lead at 65-61 with 6:55 to play. The teams would then exchange the next four baskets to keep it at a four point margin, 69-65, at the 2:27 mark.
 
Three times over the next nearly two minutes the Lakers would pull to within two but could not get over the hump. That would change in the final seconds as they forced a backcourt violation to get the ball back with 18 seconds on the clock and Kincey proceeded to drive into the paint and draw a foul with four seconds left. As he has before in his career, he calmly knocked down both to setup overtime with the teams knotted at 73-73.
 
That extra session would immediately go the way of UNC Pembroke as Bryant drained a trey from the left corner and Akia Pruitt laid one in on their next possession for a 78-73 advantage a minute and a half in. Clayton State would get it to a four point margin twice, the last at 84-80 with 19 seconds left but could not get any closer as four straight free throws by the Braves sealed the 88-80 final.
 
Pruitt led UNCP with 17 points, four steals and eight boards while Bryant ripped down 10 to go with his 10 points. Kirk and Cam Hamilton chipped in with 14 and 13 points apiece and James Murray-Boyles added 12 points and five rebounds.
 
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday, January 26 when they host Georgia Southwestern. Game time is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. following the women's contest at The Loch.
 
NOTES
Kincey surpassed his previous career-high of 18 points set at Young Harris (1/28/17) and five assists vs. Lander (1/21/19) … for Tuckson it was the third time in his career with four threes, the last coming at USC Aiken a week ago.
 

UNC Pembroke vs. Clayton State (1/26/19)