AIKEN, S.C. – The Clayton State University women's basketball team opened Peach Belt Conference play traveling to the Palmetto State to face the Pacers of USC Aiken on Saturday afternoon.  The Pacers made a half-court buzzer-beating shot and defeated the Lakers, 71-70. 
 
Both teams supplied plenty offense in the first quarter.  Audrey McElhaney and Jadah Waite got the scoring going for the Lakers as they combined for the first five points. The Pacers then scored the next seven points and went up, 10-5.  Devyne Turner broke that run with a jumper.  After two layups by Jasmyn Burts, which closed the gap to 12-11, Aiken hit a pair of threes to make the score, 18-13.  The Pacers eventually took a 22-16 lead going into the second quarter.
 
Laylah Davis got the Lakers started in the second quarter as she drained a three to pull within three at 22-19.  After McElhaney made a layup which made the score, 23-21, Aiken notched the next four points and went up 27-21. Turner and the Lakers then went on an 8-3 run and made the score 30 all.  The pacers then knocked in four straight free throws and made the score, 34-30. 
 
McElhaney and Riley both knocked down jumpers in the closing seconds, but the Pacers clung to a 36-34 lead at the half. As a team, the Lakers recorded seven blocks in the first half and Jada Francois Lubin swatted away three of those shots in the half. 
 
Halftime: USC Aiken 36, Clayton State 34
 
Davis and Jessica Maye kicked off the Laker scoring as both converted an and-one opportunities as Clayton State took its first lead of the game at 39-36. Throughout the quarter, the two teams then went back-and-forth as each team had answers from the other.  At the score 40-39, the Pacers tossed in a three and made the score, 42-40.  McElhaney and Jordan Jones then combined for the Lakers' next seven points and led 47-44.  Jones drained a three-pointer during that run.  The Lakers did not make a field goal in the final five minutes of the quarter until Burts made a layup with 20 second left and made the score 54-53.  The Pacers then made a pair of free throws and took a 55-54 lead going into the final quarter.
 
Davis tossed in a pair of free throws to kick off the scoring for the Lakers in the fourth quarter and moved the score to 56-55. At the score 57 all, the Pacers marked the next seven points and pulled ahead 64-57. Burts then eventually scored the first Laker field goal at the 3:30 mark of the quarter and made the score 64-61.   At that same score, Jones and McElhaney both made layups on back-to-back possessions and the Lakers pulled ahead, 65-64, with 2:20 left in the game.  With a minute left in the game, Taniya Patrick made a pair of layups and made the score, 69-66. 
 
As time was expiring, the Pacers made a half-court shot at the buzzer as they defeated the Lakers, 71-70. 
 
GAME VITALS  
Final: USC Aiken 71, Clayton State 70
Records: USC Aiken: 5-3 (1-0 PBC) | Clayton State: 4-4 (0-1 PBC)
Location: USC Aiken Convocation Center | USC Aiken | Aiken, S.C.
 
QUICK HITS

• McElhaney led the Lakers with 14 points and Burts followed with 10 points.
• McElhaney also led the team with six boards, while Dana Johnson followed with four.
• The Lakers, as a team, had 14 blocks.
• The Lakers outscored the Pacers, 36-26, in the paint, and 41-15, in points of the bench. 

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers step out of PBC play as they travel down to the Sunshine State to play the Trojans of Tampa on Friday, December 16^th.  Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
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