MORROW, Ga. – Redshirt-junior guard Madison Newby (Lawrenceville, Ga.) checked off all the boxes as Clayton State (17-7, 12-5 PBC) used an 18-4 third quarter run to blow past Augusta (6-18, 5-13 PBC) by a 68-50 score in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Monday, February 18.
 
Newby led the Lakers with 16 points, five steals, three assists and five boards while redshirt-senior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) finished with eight points, four assists and five caroms. Junior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) chipped in with 11 points and senior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) and senior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) added nine and seven points, respectively.
 
Both teams would come out ready to play with four straight lead changes that left Augusta with a 6-4 advantage two and half minutes in. Clayton State would make it a fifth consecutive as Alexander drilled a triple that ignited a 19-7 run and took them from down a pair to up 23-13 with 57 seconds left. A layup by the Jaguars then closed out the opening frame at an eight point margin.
 
With the score at 25-17 just over two minutes into the second, the Lakers would assert their will once again, this time scoring seven straight points to make it 32-17 by the 6:47 mark. From there they would maintain at least a 12 point advantage before taking a 37-23 lead into the break.
 
Things would change rapidly over the first two minutes of the third quarter as Augusta scored the first six points to cut it to an eight point deficit. It wouldn't stay there long, however, as six straight points by Clayton State drove the margin to 43-29 with 6:57 on the clock.
 
The Jaguars would get it back to a nine point margin at 44-35 but Clayton State would put it out of reach with an 18-4 run over a span of 4:28. That offensive explosion gave them a 23 point lead before wrapping the frame with a 62-41 lead.
 
An opening three by Towns extended to a 24 point spread and then points would be at a premium over the next five minutes as Augusta managed just a pair in that span. The offense wouldn't pick up much more than that as the clubs combined for 15 fourth quarter points on their way to a 68-50 final.
 
Brianna Middleton fueled Augusta's efforts with 14 boards and nine points while Cameryn Wilson and Kiera Howard had 11 and 10 points, respectively. Kaela Patrick added five points and three assists.
 
The Lakers wrap up a three game homestand on Wednesday, February 20 when they host North Georgia. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at The Loch.
 

Augusta vs. Clayton State (2/16/19)