NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Lander 91 – Clayton State 73
Records: Lakers (0-2, 0-2 PBC) – Bearcats (3-3, 1-1 PBC)
Series History: Clayton State leads 17-15
 
GREENWOOD, S.C. – After a valiant comeback effort, the Clayton State men's basketball team dropped its second-straight game to open the season as the Lakers fell 91-73 to Lander in Saturday's Peach Belt Conference matchup at Finis Horne Arena.
 
Lander (3-3, 1-1 PBC) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead and built its first-half margin to as many as 27 points with 5:42 left in the opening half. But Clayton State (0-2, 0-2 PBC) wouldn't go away quietly and cut the deficit to 15 by halftime.
 
Ricardo Saams Jr. came off the bench and led all scorers with 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
 
The Lakers played the Bearcats evenly throughout the second half and trailed by eight points with 3:35 remaining in the game. Lander responded with seven straight and closed the game on a 14-4 run to pick up its first conference win of the season.
 
Christoff Nairn chipped in with 18 points while Justin Figueroa added 11 points and five assists. Daniel Melvin scored 10 points and was second on the team with five rebounds.  

COMING UP:
- Clayton State hits the road again on Wednesday, January 13, with a trip to Columbus State for a 7:30 p.m. tip.
- The Lakers then return home to face USC Aiken on Saturday, January 16, and Georgia Southwestern on January 20.
 
TURNING POINT:
- Lander jumped out to a 27-point lead in the opening half.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Ricardo Saams Jr. led all scorers with 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds in 24 minutes.
- Lander's Deon Berrien registered a 21-point, 11-reboud double-double to lead the Bearcats.

NEWS AND NOTES:
- Lander is the defending conference champions.
 
 
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