MORROW, Ga. – Redshirt-junior guard Madison Newby (Lawrenceville, Ga.) dropped a career-high 27 points as No. 4 seed Clayton State (21-8, 16-6 PBC) powered past No. 5 seed USC Aiken (16-13, 12-10 PBC) by a 59-44 score in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinal and an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, March 6.
 
Newby delivered the best game of her Laker career with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including a surprising 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. That total matched her season total and she added four rebounds to with a 4-of-4 performance at the foul line. It surpassed her previous best of 20 points, which she had accomplished four times, most recently last time out against Columbus on March 2.
 
She was joined by senior guard TaKwana Bland (Williamston, N.C.) with nine points and four steals and sophomore guard Tatiana Foster (Atlanta, Ga.) with seven points and five rebounds. Redshirt-senior guard Monica Alexander (Richmond, Va.) added six points, three caroms, two assists and a pair of steals and senior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) chipped in with seven points to round out the top performers.
 
Clayton State came out on fire as they powered out to a commanding 16-2 lead over the first 5:35 behind six points from Alexander and five from Johnson. With their season on the line, however, USCA would shake off their doldrums over the next 5:01. During that time they matched that game opening run with a 16-2 stretch of their own as Kyrie' Chandler exploded for 13 points as the Pacers knotted it up at 18-18.
 
It would continue to be a game of runs, however, as the Lakers answered right back with a 12-2 burst as Newby came away with seven of those points to make it 30-20 by the 5:41 mark. USC Aiken would then get within six before the teams headed to the break with the score at 34-26.
 
Entering the second half it would be Clayton State that came to play as they scored the first 12 points, behind another seven from Newby and five from Foster, to push it to a daunting 20 point margin, 46-26 with 4:40 on the clock. Once again the Pacers would respond with a run of their own, this time 14-3 in a span of 7:08, to pull to within 49-40 with 6:32 left in the game.
 
That would be as close they would get, however, as Newby drilled them again with back-to-back layups and Bland buried four straight free throws to close out the 59-44 victory.
 
Kwajelin Farrar just missed a double-double to lead the Pacers as she finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks and Chandler notched 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Star Toomey ripped down an impressive 16 boards, six off the offensive glass and Melyk Taouil posted a solid all-around game with 11 points, five caroms, four assists and four steals.
 
The Lakers advance to the semifinals of the PBC Tournament for the 12^th time in 20 appearances and will face top seeded No. 22 North Georgia. That game will be at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 in Augusta, Georgia at Christenberry Fieldhouse, site of the league's men's and women's Final Four.
 
Stay tuned to www.ClaytonStateSports.com for further details as Clayton State's run in the postseason continues.
 

No. 5 Seed USC Aiken vs. No. 4 Clayton State (3/6/19) - PBC Quarterfinals

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