MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (20-8, 16-6 PBC) snapped a 10-game skid against rival Columbus State (14-12, 11-11 PBC) with a 93-85 victory and collected the 13^th 20-win season in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, March 2. Following the game the program's six seniors were recognized on Senior Day.
 
Redshirt-junior guard Madison Newby (Lawrenceville, Ga.) equaled her career-high with 20 points while senior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) dropped 19 behind 4-of-6 shooting beyond the arc and added three assists to pace the Lakers.
 
Junior forward Kelsie Towns (Butler, Ga.) knocked down a career-high four three-pointers on her way to matching her personal best 16 points and redshirt-senior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) added 12 points. Senior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) had seven points and six caroms, junior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) dished out five assists and senior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) chipped in with seven points.
 
Both teams came out ready to play as they were separated by no more than five points over the first seven minutes and deadlocked on a pair of occasions. With Clayton State leading 17-16 at that point, the Cougars would score six straight points to pull ahead 23-17 by the 1:11 mark. They would then go on to close the opening period with a 27-21 advantage.
 
Consecutive threes by Bland and Johnson to open the second then knotted it up at 27-27 in the opening minute. A free throw by Columbus State then initiated four quick lead changes that would see the Lakers use a 12-3 burst to push out to a 41-33 advantage by the 5:03 mark. From there they would power to a 49-39 lead at the break.
 
After seeing the lead cut to seven, 50-43, by the 6:51 mark of the third, Clayton State would surge out to a pair of 14 point leads, the latter coming at 63-49 with 3:28 on the clock. The Cougars would rebound to cut it to nine before trailing 69-54 entering the fourth quarter.
 
That margin would balloon to 19 points by the 8:13 mark with a 74-55 spread before Columbus State used a 14-3 run fueled by 10 points from LeeAysia Williamson to cut to cut it to 77-69 with 5:23 left. After seeing the lead go back into double digits twice they would get it back down to six three times but the last of those would come with just five seconds left. From there the Lakers wrapped up the 93-85 victory.
 
Williamson exploded for a game-high 26 points to go with five boards to lead the Cougars while Tatum Jarvis just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Kaihla Carter finished with 12 points, six caroms and four steals and Tatiana Wayne notched 12 points and four steals. Taya Gibson rounded things out with nine points.
 
The Lakers have earned the No. 4 seed in the 2019 Peach Belt Conference Tournament and will host No. 5 seed USC Aiken on Wednesday, March 6. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at The Loch.
 
NOTES
With the victory, Clayton State picks up their first win over their rival in the past 10 meetings, a stretch that dates to an 86-75 victory at The Loch on March 1, 2014 … following the game Alexander, Bland, Johnson, Merriweather, redshirt-senior center Shaquoria Miles (Garysburg, N.C.) and graduate guard Kietta Saunders (Chicago, Ill.) were recognized as part of the Senior Day festivities.
 

Columbus State vs. Clayton State (3/2/19)

Women's Basketball Senior Day Photo Gallery - March 2, 2019

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