PEMBROKE, N.C. – Clayton State (18-8, 14-6 PBC) used a massive first half run as they outpaced UNC Pembroke (8-18, 7-13 PBC) to earn a 59-47 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, February 23.
 
Redshirt-junior guard Madison Newby (Lawrenceville, Ga.) led the Lakers with 13 points, five boards and four assists while junior center Brittany Williams (Albany, Ga.) finished with 12 points and four caroms.
 
Senior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) added nine points and six rebounds and senior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) had nine points and five boards. Redshirt-senior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) wasn't far behind with seven points and redshirt-senior center Shaquoria Miles (Garysburg, N.C.) ripped down seven rebounds to round out the top performers.
 
Trailing 5-4 by the 7:21 mark, Clayton State flipped the script as they produced a 13-4 run that put them up 17-9 with a minute and a half left in the frame. A bucket by UNCP closed the period with an eight point margin but seven points from Bland and six from Williams fueled a 13-0 run that blew it open at 30-11 with 4:29 left in the first half. It would not get much better the rest of the half for them as the clubs headed to the break with a 35-18 spread.
 
The lead would expand to 19 by the 7:05 mark of the third before the Braves battled back to within 39-26 less than three minutes later. It would be a temporary reprieve, however, as the Lakers scored the next seven points for a 46-26 advantage before closing the period up 46-30.
 
Despite that margin, UNC Pembroke would not go away as baskets by three different players to open the fourth got them within 10 at 46-36 with 5:18 remaining. They would hit that margin once more but would get no closer.
 
Having pulled to within 50-39 by the 2:55 mark, the Braves would see their chances for completing the comeback evaporate as Clayton State scored seven of the next nine points before wrapping up the 59-47 victory.
 
Se'Dasia Love led UNCP with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting and added six boards and four blocks while Tee Graham had 10 points, three assists and three caroms. Melanie Horne finished with seven points and as many boards and Avery Locklear chipped in with four assists and five rebounds.
 
The Lakers continue their final road trip of the regular season as they head to Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday, February 27. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Americus, Georgia.