AMERICUS, Ga. – Clayton State (9-5, 5-1 PBC) benefited from a pair of impressive individual performances as they delivered a 73-62 victory at Georgia Southwestern (4-8, 0-6 PBC) in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, January 15.
 
Senior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) dropped 20 points, came away with six steals and added four rebounds while junior forward Timi'a Swanson (Americus, Ga.), playing in her hometown, was a force to be reckoned with as she finished with a double-double of 14 points and 13 boards. The latter was a career-high, eight of those caroms came off of the offensive glass all came from off the bench.
 
Senior forward Kelsie Towns (Butler, Ga.) had 10 points, six rebounds, three blocks and a pair of assists and redshirt-junior forward Dejah Montgomery (Cordova, Tenn.) notched 11 points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Jonnise Poole (Conyers, Ga.) rounded things out with a career-high 10 points.
 
Neither team would gain a solid foothold over the first 10 minutes of play as the clubs were separated by no more than six points at any one time during the opening quarter. Down 5-3 at the 5:26 mark, the Lakers would close that frame on a 14-6 run to take a 17-11 lead into the second quarter.
 
That period would see Clayton State extend their lead to 32-23 by the 3:06 mark but the tide would turn dramatically over those final three minutes. The Hurricanes would open up from beyond the three-point arc, knocking down three triples in an 11-2 flurry that saw Jamesha Samuel score eight points to give them a 34-33 lead at the half.
 
Five straight points to open the third flipped the script and put the Lakers up 38-34 but it wouldn't last as GSW tied it up at 41-41 under three minutes in. That, too, would not last as Clayton State recovered to score 15 of the next 22 points and close the frame up 56-48.
 
A pair of free throws stretched to a double-digit lead before Georgia Southwestern fought back to within 60-54 by the 7:52 mark. That would be their last real shot at a rally, however, as the Lakers put together a 9-5 run to make it 69-59 before closing out the 11 point victory.
 
Mariya Trimble led GSW with a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, along with three assists, while Samuel added 15 points and three steals. Tamecia Blue finished with 15 points, four assists and a pair of steals and Lex Chatman just missed a double with 10 points and eight caroms.
 
The Lakers continue a three-game road trip as they travel to Francis Marion on Saturday, January 18. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. in Florence, South Carolina.