PEMBROKE, N.C. – A 21-point fourth quarter powered Clayton State (5-4, 1-0 PBC) past UNC Pembroke (6-4, 1-1 PBC) by an 81-67 score in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Thursday, December 19.
 
Senior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) led all scorers with 20 points to go with six steals, four rebounds and three assists while junior forward Timi'a Swanson (Americus, Ga.) dropped 18 points, 16 of which came in the fourth quarter, along with six boards.
 
Senior forward Kelsie Towns (Butler, Ga.) nearly pulled off a double-double, finishing with eight points and nine caroms, and senior center Brittany Williams (Albany, Ga.) added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Redshirt-junior forward Dejah Montgomery (Cordova, Tenn.) chipped in with eight points and redshirt-junior guard Praise Russell (Jacksonville, Fla.) added six points on a pair of triples.
 
The Braves jumped out to an early 8-2 lead after the first 3:09 but they wouldn't stay there long. Over the final 5:50 of the opening frame, Clayton State would use an 18-6 run to power out to a 20-14 advantage by quarter break. In that run Wilson would score eight of the Lakers 18 points.
 
That margin would grow to 29-20 over the first four minutes of the second period before UNCP rallied to within one, 37-36, behind a 16-8 run. From there the Lakers would regain their footing and close the first half with a 46-42 lead.
 
Following a relatively high scoring first half the offense would roll back in a third quarter that saw a combined 30 points. Clayton State would push the margin to seven points on four occasions but would not allow the Braves within better than three points as they took a narrow 60-58 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
UNC Pembroke's Aliyah Farmer would tie it up at the 8:25 mark of that frame and again at 62-62 just over three minutes but that would be the extent of their remaining success. Over the next four minutes Swanson would score seven points and Russell would drain a key three to fuel a game-deciding 10-0 outburst that made it 72-62 with 2:58 on the clock.
 
Swanson would add another five points to take the lead to a 13 point spread, 77-64, by the 1:22 mark before the Lakers closed out the 81-67 victory.
 
Melanie Horne led UNCP with 18 points and six rebounds and Courtney Smith posted 10 points, four assists and three steals. Farmer added eight points and four rebounds and Tiara Williams and Naomi Gilbert each had seven points.
 
The Lakers close out the decade when they return home to face an always challenging Georgia College squad on Saturday, December 21. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. at The Loch.