MORROW, Ga. – Trailing at the half, Clayton State (11-9, 7-5 PBC) nearly shutout UNC Pembroke (9-11, 4-8 PBC) in the third to change the tenor of what would be a 58-47 victory in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Saturday, February 1.
 
Senior guard Taneria Wilson (Fort Pierce, Fla.) dropped 20 points to go with five steals and as many rebounds to lead the Lakers while junior forward Timi'a Swanson (Americus, Ga.) hauled in a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards to go with three steals. Seven of those came off the offensive glass.
 
Senior forward Kelsie Towns (Butler, Ga.) just missed a double-double of her own with eight points and seven caroms and redshirt-senior guard Christal Williams (Riverdale, Ga.) finished with eight points, six rebounds and a pair of steals. Senior center Brittany Williams (Albany, Ga.) capped things off with six points and five boards in 34 minutes.
 
It would be a battle right from the beginning as the teams deadlocked twice and saw the lead change hands three times over the first 2:51. The last of those would come with Clayton State leading 10-8 at the 4:33 mark when UNCP's Melanie Horne drained the first of back-to-back triples that put them up 14-10 before closing the opening frame with a 16-12 advantage.
 
A bucket by Towns followed by a traditional three-point play by Swanson opened the second and flipped the script for a 17-16 lead with just 1:14 gone by. The Braves retook the lead on a Farmer layup but would see it disappear on the very next play as the Lakers managed a 21-18 margin at the midpoint of the quarter.
 
From there, however, UNC Pembroke put together a 10-2 burst fueled by five points apiece from Shaniya Lester and Melanie Horne to pull ahead 28-23 by the 1:40 mark. Wilson would knock down a three a minute later to round out the first half scoring as the Braves took a narrow 28-26 lead into the break.
 
They would then stay at 28 points for nearly the entire third quarter as they would not manage a bucket until 1:43 remained. In that time Clayton State took full advantage of a tremendous defensive effort, scoring 16 points and taking a 42-28 lead just before that UNCP score. There wouldn't be a ton more of the latter the rest of the frame as the Lakers entered the fourth holding a 45-34 lead.
 
UNCP would gain no ground in the final period, however, as both teams hit for 13 points with the closest margin begin a nine point spread at 54-45 with 4:01 left. From there the Lakers closed out the 58-47 slugfest.
 
Horne led the way for the Braves as she knocked down three triples for 13 points while Lester came away with 12 points, six boards and a pair of assists. Aliyah Farmer added 10 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks and Deja McCain rounded things out with eight boards, four offensive, and four points.
 
The Lakers wrap up a three game homestand as they host Young Harris on Wednesday, February 5. Tip-off is set 5:30 p.m. at The Loch.
 
FULL GAME VIDEO

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