MORROW, Ga. – It would take an extra five minutes of action and some clutch efforts in that additional frame as Clayton State (10-9, 6-5 PBC) held off a battled tested Flagler (4-13, 2-9 PBC) squad to earn an 82-80 overtime victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, January 29.
 
Senior forward Kelsie Towns (Butler, Ga.) delivered a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds while hitting a bevy of key long range shots to power the Lakers effort while senior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) finished with 21 points, four assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
Junior forward Jada Francois Lubin (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) posted eight points, six boards and four steals and was joined by junior forward Timi'a Swanson (Americus, Ga.) with four points, four steals, five caroms and two assists. Redshirt-junior guard Praise Russell (Jacksonville, Fla.) hit her uniform number with 14 points and senior center Brittany Williams (Albany, Ga.) rounded things out with nine points and five rebounds.
 
It would be a game of runs early on as Clayton State scored the first seven points before seeing the Saints answer back with an 8-0 run of their own by the 3:39 mark of the first quarter. From there the teams would exchange the lead over the next several possessions before FC managed a 17-14 advantage with just 20 seconds gone by in the second quarter.
 
The Lakers would rally to take a narrow one point lead with four straight points before seeing Flagler pull ahead 23-20 on a three by Kierra Crane at the 5:17 mark. Over the next 3:42, however, Clayton State mounted a 10-2 run that would put them back ahead, this time 30-25, before closing the half with a 31-29 lead.
 
That margin would grow to 40-29 as they produced a 9-0 run with points from three different players over the opening two minutes before taking a 55-47 lead into the fourth. Faced with that deficit, the Saints finally returned serve as they climbed all they way back to within 60-59 with 4:31 to play in regulation behind a 13-4 stretch.
 
Clayton State would stem the tide with a pair of buckets from Towns, including a three to make it 66-61 but could not shake Flagler as they got a jumper from Crane and a game-tying three from Ivana Boyd to knot it up with 1:24 on the clock.
 
The Lakers would retake the lead on another Towns jumper but Crane would strike again, this time from three to bring FC all the way back with a 69-68 lead and 29 seconds to play. N'Mya Pierce tacked on a free throw 14 seconds later for a two point advantage but Wilson would make that disappear with a running jumper from the left hand side to tie it and eventually send the game to overtime deadlocked at 70-70.
 
In that extra session Crane drained another triple for the early lead but Clayton State methodically worked their way back ahead with a pair of Wilson free throws and another Towns longball, this one at 2:15 for a 75-73 lead. It would be short-lived as Rayven Wade tied it up 26 seconds later only to see Swanson and Boyd trade baskets to knot it up at 77-77 with just under a minute showing on the clock.
 
Swanson then knocked down a pair of three throws followed by two from Wilson for a four point advantage with 14 seconds left before Jazzy Mathis nailed a three to pull the Saints within one at 81-80 just nine seconds later.
 
Following a foul, Wilson would convert on the front end of a pair of free throws for a two point lead and Flagler grabbed the rebound and charged down court. A dish to the left block and the ensuing jumper came seconds too late as the Lakers held on for the thrilling 82-80 overtime victory.
 
Wade fueled the Saints effort with a monster double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds while Crane finished with 14 points and four assists in 45 minutes of action. They were joined by Mathis and Staci Miller with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Scout Frame had eight points and six boards. Boyd pitched in with five points, six assists, two steals and four caroms and Pierce had nine points and five rebounds.
 
The Lakers stay at home as they host UNC Pembroke on Saturday, February 1. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. at The Loch.
 
FULL GAME VIDEO

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