MORROW, Ga. – Down 20 points late in the second half, Clayton State (3-15, 1-10 PBC) mounted a furious rally but could not reach the pinnacle as they dropped a narrow 72-68 decision to Flagler (10-9, 6-5 PBC) in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Wednesday, January 29.
 
Senior guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) delivered a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards to pace the Lakers while redshirt-sophomore Bryan Hart (Hampton, Va.) finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
 
Redshirt-junior center Tionne Williams, Jr. (Phenix City, Ala.) just missed a double-double of his own with 10 points and eight caroms and sophomore forward Ricardo Saams, Jr. (Miramar, Fla.) rounded things out with seven points and eight boards.
 
After a 6-2 Clayton State lead in the opening minutes, the Saints responded with a dominant 20-5 run that featured 14 straight points from Damerit Brown that vaulted them to a 22-11 advantage by the midway point of the opening half. With the margin at 30-18 with just under six minutes left in the frame, the Lakers pulled within eight with a pair of buckets before FC closed with a 37-27 lead at the half.
 
That would be a margin that would eventually grow to a 20 point spread at 65-45 by the 8:06 mark but the tide would turn at that point. Over the next 6:37, Clayton State would mount a furious rally that saw them take 20 of the next 24 points, including 10 by Kincey and five apiece from Mason and Hart, to get back in the game at 69-65 and with 1:29 on the clock.
 
The Lakers would foul to send the Saints to the line where they missed the front end of a 1-and-1 but could not capitalize on the other end after corralling the rebounds. Instead Allante Pickens knocked down a jumper with 23 seconds left to stretch to a six point lead. Ten seconds later Bryan Hart would cut it in half with his third three of the night but a split of free throws at the other end and a missed three would then seal the 72-68 final.
 
Brown lit it up for Flagler as he finished with a game-high 25 points behind the force of six threes and added nine rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Gedi Juozapaitis produced 13 points, eight boards and three assists and both Damir Hadzic and Chris Metzger just missed double-doubles, finishing with eight points and 11 caroms and 10 points and nine rebounds, respectively.
 
The Lakers are right back in action when they host rival UNC Pembroke on Saturday, February 1. Tip-off is slated for approximately 3:30 p.m. at The Loch following the women's contest.
 
FULL GAME VIDEO

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