AMERICUS, Ga. – The second-seeded Clayton State University women's basketball team bowed out of the 2023 Peach Belt Conference Tournament suffering a 72-55 setback to the six-seeded Young Harris College Mountain Lions on Thursday evening. 
 
Young Harris started the first quarter on a 7-2 run.  Jada Francois Lubin scored the lone field goal for the Lakers.  The Lakers then took the lead after Audrey McElhaney, Jessica Maye, and Jordan Jones knocked down shots, making the score 11-10.  Devyne Turner drained a three-pointer in the final second of the quarter as the Lakers led 16-12 at the end of first. 
 
The Mountain Lions started the second quarter on a 7-4 run and made the score 20-19.  Maye and Taniya Patrick scored the baskets for Clayton State.  Young Harris continued to pressure the Lakers and went back on a 16-2 run and opened a 13-point lead at 35-22. 
 
Jasmyn Burts tossed in five of the final seven points for the Lakers as they trailed 38-30 at the break. 
 
Halftime: #6 Young Harris 38, #2 Clayton State 30
 
The Lakers opened the third quarter seeing offensive production from McElhaney and Laylah Davis.  They still were behind by 10 points at 44-34.  The Mountain Lions continued to distance themselves from the Lakers in the third quarter as they trailed by 15 points at 55-40 going into the final quarter of play. 
 
After the Mountain Lions dropped in the first basket of the fourth quarter, the Lakers tried to cut into their deficit as they went on a 11-0 run, moving the score to 57-51 with 4:30 left in the game.  I'Uana Slaughter hit a three-ball while Jones, McElhaney, and Burts added points.  Young Harris, immediately, had an answer and went back up by double-digits at 63-51. 
 
The Lakers did not score in the final two minutes of the game as they fell to Young Harris in the Semifinals of the PBC Tournament, 72-55. 
 
GAME VITALS
Final: #6 Young Harris 72, #2 Clayton State 55
Records: #6 Young Harris 14-13 | #2 Clayton State: 18-11
Location: Storm Dome | 2023 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Semifinals | Americus, Ga.
 
QUICK HITS

• Burts led the Lakers with 12 points, going 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
• Jones followed with 11 points.
• Maye and McElhaney led the Lakers with five boards.
• The Lakers shot 10-for-13 from the charity stripe.
• The Lakers scored 32 points-in-the-paint.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers await their fate in the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament as the Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday, March 5^th at 10:30 p.m. EST.  The Lakers are seeking their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since the 2019-20 season. 
 
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