MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State University men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season hosting NAIA Andrew College on Monday evening. The Lakers rang in the
Carl Little era with a 96-82 win. This win marked the first win for Little as the head coach.
The first half was full of action as both teams were very active early in the half. After Andrew took a 6-0 lead early, the Lakers saw baskets by
Petar Asceric and
Chase Hill made the score 10 apiece. The two teams went back and forth throughout the half but Andrew had some early momentum. At the score, 12 all, the Fighting Tigers went on a 10-2 run and opened a 22-14 lead. The Lakers then saw baskets from
Joey Thomas,
Nick Durham and a pair of threes from
Champ Hayden and knotted up the game at 28. Andrew held a slim lead in the later stages of the half until the Lakers took their first lead with under a minute left.
The Lakers got baskets from
Elijah Lewis and Asceric in the final minute and took a 47-44 lead going into the halftime break.
Halftime: Clayton State 47, Andrew 44
The tide was turned in the second half as the Lakers outscored the Fighting Tigers, 49-38. The Lakers started the second half on a 9-4 run and opened a 56-48 lead. Clayton State also made its free throws in the half as they started 7-for-7 from the line. That proved to be a turning point in the game. After Andrew cut its deficit to three at 58-55, a dunk by Thomas sparked an 11-3 run and made the score, 69-57. The Lakers kept pulling away. With 9:30 left and up 72-67, Durham,
Tim James Jr., and Lewis combined to go on a 12-0 run and took a 17-point lead at 84-67.
The Lakers shot 62% from the field in the second half and picked up their first win of the season downing Andrew, 96-82.
QUICK HITS
- Asceric and Lewis led the Lakers with 19 points.
- Thomas followed with a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
- Erez Poran led the Lakers with 12 boards.
- Chase Hill and Durham also notched double-digit point totals.
- The Lakers outrebounded Andrew, 49-27.
- Clayton State shot 55% from the field in this game.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers (1-0) travel to North Carolina on Friday, November 13
th and Saturday, November 14
th as they play in the Conference Challenge. On Friday, the Lakers play Tusculum at 5 p.m. while they play Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday at 4 p.m. Please visit claytonstatesports.com.
