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2005-06 Laker Season

 

Clayton State’s McLaurin named to
2005-06 NCAA South Atlantic Region squad 

Morrow, GA --- March 15, 2006 --- For the second straight year, the Clayton State men’s basketball team had a player named to the NCAA Division II All-South Atlantic Region squad. 

This year, Clayton State leading scorer Todd McLaurin was named to the squad after leading Lakers in scoring this season and ranking second in the Peach Belt Conference at 17 points per game. Craig Butts was named to the All-Region squad last season. 

McLaurin, a 5-11 junior guard from Clinton, NC, was named to the first team All-Region squad, making him eligible for 2006 Daktronics NCAA All-America honors to be released on Tuesday, March 21st. 

He started all 28 games on the Lakers 21-7 squad and along with ranking second in the Peach Belt in scoring he also ranked 11th in assists, eight in steals and ninth in free throw percentage. 

McLaurin led the team in scoring 16 times and had 12 games of over 20 points or more to go along with 23 double-digit scoring games. He had 24 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists versus PBC co-champion GC&SU, hitting 10-of-14 from the field.  

Also a member of the All-Peach Belt squad, he had a season-high 30 points against North Georgia and 21 and 20 points in two wins against NCAA Tourney team USC Upstate and 22 points vs. PBC co-champion Columbus State.  

Clayton State finished the 2005-06 season with a 21-7 record, its second 20-win season in the last three years. 

Clayton State drops heartbreaker to

USC Upstate 69-68 in Peach Belt Tournament

 

Greenwood, SC --- March 3, 2006 --- The Clayton State University men’s basketball team dropped a heartbreaker Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2006 Peach Belt Conference Championships, falling 69-68 to USC Upstate on a last second shot at Lander’s Finis Horne Arena.

 

Upstate’s Jeremy Byrd laid in a basket on a backdoor play off a pass from Daniel Quinlan with three seconds remaining to lift the Spartans to the victory. Clayton State had one last shot with two-tenths of a second remaining on an inbounds pass under its own basket, but a catch-and-shoot by Todd McLaurin on the baseline missed the mark. McLaurin gave the Lakers a 1-point lead, 68-67, on a driving acrobatic move to the hoop with 19 seconds remaining.

 

Clayton State led by as many as six points, 64-58, with 4:12 remaining in the game before two consecutive Upstate three-pointers knotted the score again. Ivica Grgurovic hit the first one, followed by Jay Free draining one with 2:38 remaining to tie the game.

 

A lay-up by Byrd gave Upstate a two-point lead before Brandon Kelley came back with two free throws to tie the game for the 12th time with 2:24 remaining. Byrd gave Upstate a 67-66 lead after a free throw with 2:08 left, setting up the finish. Neither team scored for almost two minutes until McLaurin’s shot with 19 seconds left.

 

“That was a typical Peach Belt battle that you would expect,” said head coach Gordon Gibbons. “We couldn’t have played any harder. We have to credit to Upstate, they had lost five in a row at one point, but they came in here hitting on all cylinders.

 

Said McLaurin, “We did all we could, but mental mistakes cost us the game.”

 

The loss drops Clayton State to 21-7 on the season, and the Lakers will now have to wait until Sunday to see if they will be selected for the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional next week. The Lakers were ranked fifth in the last poll and the top eight teams advance to the Regional.

 

The win for Upstate improves the Spartans to 18-9 on the year and increases their chances of the making the national tournament, as they entered as the 8th-ranked team in the region. Upstate advances to the PBC semifinals on Saturday and will play the winner of Lander and Columbus on Friday.

 

Upstate jumped out to quick lead in the game and led by seven points, 20-13, with seven minutes remaining in the first period before the Lakers went on a 17-10 run to close the half. Kelley sparked the run with 11 points, including two three-pointers. The game was tied at 30 at intermission.

 

Kelley led the Lakers with 24 points, which included 4-of-4 from three-point range. McLaurin followed with 20 points and John Beugnot added 10. Kelley also had five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

 

For Upstate, four players finished in double-digits with Free leading the way with 16 points, followed Byrd with 15. Quinlan added 14 points, followed by Luke Payne with 13 points.

 

Clayton State shot 40 percent (21-of-53), while Upstate hit 48 percent (27-of-56) from the floor. Each team finished with 33 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

 

The Clayton State loss snapped an eight-game winning streak by Lakers over the Spartans. CSU defeated Upstate twice during the regular season.

Clayton State men fall 88-81 to Francis Marion on Sat.; to play Upstate in PBC Championships next week 

Florence, SC – February 25, 2006 --- The Clayton State men’s basketball team made a furious comeback with less than two minutes to play Saturday but didn’t have enough time to make it complete, falling 88-81 to Francis Marion in its Peach Belt Conference regular season finale at the Smith University Center in Florence, SC.  

Trailing by 13 points with 1:57 left, the Lakers had a quick 12-3 burst to cut the Patriot deficit to four points, 83-79, with 33 seconds remaining but could come no closer. A three-pointer by Michael Sloan cut the deficit to eight points, 80-72, with one minute remaining only to have FMU come back with two free throws. Another three-pointer, this time by Brandon Kelley trimmed the lead to seven points, 82-75, with 45 seconds left.  

After a Clayton State foul, Francis Marion hit 1-of-2 to push its lead back to eight, but Clayton State’s Kelley answered with a rare four point play with 33 seconds left. Kelley drained a three-pointer and was fouled on the play and hit his free throw to cut the lead to four points.  

The Lakers could come no closer though, as FMU’s Michael Jenkins hit two free throws and Clayton State missed on its next possession. Two more free throws by the Patriots’ George Walker sealed the win for FMU with 14 seconds remaining.  

With the loss, Clayton State drops to 21-6 on the season and 14-6 in Peach Belt play. The Lakers finish fourth in the Peach Belt regular season standings, the fifth straight year the squad has finished in the top-5 in the league. Francis Marion improves to 12-15 overall and 7-13 in the league.  

As the fourth seed, the Lakers will receive a bye in the first round of next week’s 2006 Peach Belt Conference Championships and will face fifth-seeded USC Upstate on Friday at the tournament hosted by Lander in Greenwood, SC.  

In Saturday’s game, Clayton State fell behind in the later stages of the first half and was unable to ever completely battle back. A 22-7 run in the first period gave the Patriots a 15-point, 32-17 lead with 7:14 remaining in the first period. Clayton State trailed 36-28 at intermission.  

The Lakers cut the FMU lead to three-points, 59-56, midway through the second half on a layup by Luis Rodriguez after a steal by Kelley, only to have the Patriots race back out to a 15-point advantage, 73-58, with a 14-2 run. CSU trailed by double-digits until its flurry in the final two minutes.  

For Clayton State, Kelley finished with a season-high 24 points to go along with four assists and five steals. John Beugnot added 16 points, followed by Michael Sloan with 15 points and Todd McLaurin with 14.  

Walker led Francis Marion with 20 points, followed by Jenkins with 17 points. Michael Carter added 15 points, while a trio of players in Reinaldo Charles, Vony Rivers and Courtney Lilliston each had 12 points. Rivers pulled a game-high nine boards.  

Both teams shot well from the field with Clayton State hitting 52 percent (31-of-60) and Francis Marion finishing at 53 percent (30-of-57). The Patriots won the rebounding battle 32-24 but did have 17 turnovers compared to Clayton State’s 14.

Clayton State men crush North Georgia 102-68 Wed.; to play at Francis Marion on Sat. 

Dahlonega, GA – February 22, 2006 --- The Clayton State men’s basketball team lost a close one Monday in overtime, but on Wednesday the Lakers bounced back with a dominating victory. 

Clayton State University crushed North Georgia College & State University Wednesday in Dahlonega, beating the Saints by 34 points, 102-68. The Lakers took control of the game in the first half, and the win was never in doubt the entire second period, as the squad led by at least 30 points for the final 16 minutes of the game.  

Todd McLaurin led the Lakers in the win with 30 points, a season high for the club.  He broke a school record, hitting 19-of-20 free throws in the game. The previous high was 15 free throws made in a game in 1997. 

Clayton State never trailed in the game and raced out to a 20-point lead, 37-17, on a three-pointer by John Beugnot with 3:53 remaining in the first half. Beugnot closed the half with a three-point play to give the squad a 48-23 lead at intermission. In the second half, the Lakers led by as many as 43 points, 81-38, with 12:19 left in the game.  

With the win, Clayton State improves to 21-5 on the year and 14-5 in the Peach Belt, while North Georgia drops to 14-11 overall and 10-9 in the conference. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face Francis Marion in its regular season finale.  

CSU is tied for third place in the league with Armstrong Atlantic State, who lost Wednesday at USC Upstate. GC&SU secured at least a share of the Peach Belt title Wednesday with a win in its PBC finale at Lander with a 16-4 record, while Columbus can also share the crown if it wins on Saturday in last Peach Belt game.  

Behind McLaurin’s 30, Beugnot finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, followed by Brandon Kelley with 13. Aristide Sawadogo finished with eight points, a career-high 12 rebounds and four blocks.  

Clayton State’s defense held the high-scoring Saints to 32 percent shooting from the floor. North Georgia’s Matt Causey, the PBC’s leading scorer at over 20 per game, was held to 11 points on the night.

#24 Clayton State men fall 72-68 in overtime 
heartbreaker to Columbus State

Morrow, GA ---- The 24th-ranked Clayton State men’s team dropped a heartbreaker Monday, falling 72-68 in overtime to rival Columbus State at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Columbus State’s Ransom Antoine grabbed a last second rebound in overtime and stuck in a basket with 1.1 seconds remaining to pull out the victory. The Lakers had a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play, which led to a foul and the Cougars sealing the win with two free throws. 

Clayton State trailed the entire second half and by as many as 12 points until battling back in the later stages of the game. A three-pointer by Brandon Kelley with 50 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 58 apiece at the end of regulation. Clayton State led 66-65 with two minutes remaining in overtime. 

With the loss, the Lakers drop to 20-5 on the season and 13-5 in the league, while Columbus State improves to 21-7 and 15-4 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday at North Georgia. 

Todd McLaurin led the Lakers with 22 points, followed by John Beugnot and Donte Dawson with 11 apiece. Ransom led Columbus State with 20 points, followed by Will Davis with 15 points.

#24 Clayton State men roll over UNC Pembroke
for 20th win; to host Columbus State Monday 

Pembroke, NC – The 24th-ranked Clayton State men’s basketball team picked its 20th win of the season Saturday in convincing fashion, rolling over UNC Pembroke 80-52 in Peach Belt Conference action.  

A 16-2 run to close the first half was the difference for the Lakers, as the team took control, going into halftime and never looked back in the second half. Leading 26-23 with 7:59 remaining, T.J. Waldon ignited the run with a free throw, followed by a trio of unanswered three-pointers by the Lakers over a two-minute span.  

Todd McLaurin, the game’s leading scorer with 18 points, drained two consecutive ones, followed by Brandon Kelley hitting one to give Clayton State a 12-point, 35-23 advantage. Clayton State’s Jeff Trotter kept the run going with a basket before UNCP snapped the 12-0 run with two free throws by Mark Salazar with 4:27 left. Another basket by Trotter and one by McLaurin in the final seconds of the period gave Clayton State a 41-25 lead at intermission.  

In the second half, Clayton State reeled off six straight points to open the stanza, taking a 22-point lead, 47-25, on a basket by Cedrick Kalombo. After CSU pushed its lead to 26 points, 53-27, with 12:40 remaining, UNC Pembroke cut the deficit to 17 points with a 9-0 run capped by a layup from John Walters. The Braves would come no closer, however, as Clayton State, holding an 18-point advantage with 7:10 remaining went on a 20-10 run to cruise to the victory.  

With the win, Clayton State keeps its hold on second place in the Peach Belt standings with a 13-4 record in league play, one game out of first in the loss column. The win improves the Lakers to 20-4 on the season, marking only the third 20-win season in Clayton State history. The Lakers won 25 games in the 1993-94 season and 22 games in the 2003-04 campaign. UNC Pembroke drops to 4-20 and 1-16 in league play.  

For Clayton State, McLaurin led the way with 18 points, followed by Michael Sloan with 16 points and three steals. Trotter chipped in 10 points and had six boards, while Waldon added eight points and eight rebounds.  

Jarrell Hunter led UNC Pembroke with 10 points.  

Clayton State shot 52 percent (30-of-58) from the floor, while holding UNCP to a 35 percent (19-of-55) field goal percentage. The Lakers, who rank second in nation in field goal percentage defense, have held 12 of their last 14 opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field.  

UP NEXT

Clayton State will return to action Monday in its Peach Belt Conference finale, as the Lakers will host in-state rival Columbus State. The game will be Senior Night for Clayton State, and the Lakers will recognize three seniors in Donte Dawson, Jason Guest and T.J. Waldon.  

Tip-off for Monday’s game is 7:30 p.m. and general admission is $5 and children 12-under are free. Faculty, staff and students are free with their Laker Card.  

The game will be crucial match-up, as both teams are tied for second in the Peach Belt standings and still have legitimate shots at winning the 2005-06 PBC Championship.  

Columbus State will enter the game with a 20-7 overall record and 14-4 PBC mark, compared to Clayton State’s 20-4 and 13-4 record in league play.  The Cougars are coming off a 78-67 win on Saturday over Francis Marion on Saturday.  Clayton State defeated Columbus two weeks ago in Columbus 89-81 behind 16 points from both McLaurin and Sloan.  

Clayton State trails 14-7 in the all-time series against the Cougars.

#20 Clayton State cruises to 83-72 Peach Belt win over USC Aiken; Lakers improve to 19-4 on season 

Morrow, GA – The Clayton State duo of Todd McLaurin and Michael Sloan combined for 40 points Saturday to lead the Lakers to an 83-72 Peach Belt Conference victory over USC Aiken at the Athletics & Fitness Center.  

McLaurin finished with a game-high 21 points, while Sloan added 19 points, hitting 7-of-13 from the floor. Sloan, a Jonesboro native, has been red-hot for the club as of late, hitting 25 of his last 41 shots, including 15 of his last 22 three-point attempts.  

Clayton State led by double digits for most of the second half but did have to fend off a few USC Aiken runs. The Pacers cut the deficit to eight points, 66-58, with 8:24 remaining on a three-pointer by Kenny Burr before the Lakers went on a 10-2 run to take control of the contest. TJ Waldon had five points in the stretch and two free throws by McLaurin capped the run, giving the squad a 16-point lead 76-60, with 3:35 remaining. CSU led by double-digits for the remainder of the contest.  

Clayton State raced out to a big first half lead thanks in large part to the shooting of Sloan, who finished the period with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 shooting from behind the three-point arc. The Lakers led 49-32 at intermission after hitting a sizzling 74 percent (20-of-27) from the floor. Clayton State led by as many as 20 points in the first period.  

With the win, the Lakers improve to 19-4 overall and 12-4 in the league, while USC Aiken drops to 4-18 and 2-13 in the league. CSU will return to action on Saturday, traveling to play at UNC Pembroke.  

Behind McLaurin and Sloan, the squad had two other players in double-digits with Donte Dawson and Waldon with 11 points apiece. McLaurin also had six assists and Aristide Sawadogo finished with five blocks.  

For USC Aiken, Arnold Coates finished with 21 points and 10 boards, followed by Kingsley Oguchi with 13 points. Josh Poston added 12 points and Richard Blocker chipped in 13.  

The Lakers shot 53 percent (31-of-59) from the floor and USCA hit 38 percent (23-of-61). The Pacers outrebounded CSU 41-37 but did commit 21 turnovers to the Lakers’ 14.

#20 Clayton State falls 66-56 to Augusta State Wed. 

Morrow, GA – A 15-4 run in the final seven minutes of Wednesday’s game lifted the Augusta State Jaguars to a 66-56 upset over 20th-ranked Clayton State in Peach Belt Conference basketball action at the Athletics & Fitness Center.   

Trailing by a point, 52-51 with 7:37 left, Augusta reeled off six straight points to take a 57-52 lead with 4:19 remaining capped by a three-pointer from Jason Mills. After both teams swapped baskets, ASU pushed its lead to eight points on a three-point play by Larry Diamond, 62-54.  

Clayton State answered with a basket by John Beugnot to cut the deficit to six points but was held scoreless over the final minute, missing five shots from the field. The Jaguars scored five points in the final minute to seal the victory.  

With the loss, the Lakers drop to 18-4 overall and 11-4 in the Peach Belt, while Augusta State improves to 11-10 overall and 7-7 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Saturday, hosting USC Aiken and Augusta State will host Columbus State.  

Augusta State took the largest lead of the first half, 26-20, on a three-pointer by Matt Scott with 4:47 remaining. Clayton State answered with a 7-4 run to close the period to cut the deficit to 30-27 at intermission. Michael Sloan, who had a team-high 16 points, had five points in the run.  

Behind Sloan’s 16 points on 6-of-10 of shooting from the floor, Todd McLaurin finished with 14 points. John Beugnot had six boards and seven points.  

For Augusta State, Mills finished with 17 points, followed by Scott with 12 points. Dean Brebner added nine points and seven rebounds. Karim Telfer finished with nine assists and three steals.  

Clayton State shot 42 percent (23-of-55), while Augusta State hit 46 percent (23-of-50), the highest of an opponent in the last 13 games against CSU. Augusta State won the battle on boards 40-23 but did commit 18 turnovers compared to 11 for the Lakers.

#25 Clayton State topples #20 Columbus State; moves into first place in Peach Belt Conference standings 

Columbus, GA – February 6, 2006 --- In a battle between two of the heavyweights of Peach Belt Conference men’s basketball, the #25th-ranked Clayton State men came out on top Monday and moved into first place in the league, toppling 20th ranked Columbus State 89-81 in Columbus’ Lumpkin Center. 

Clayton State used a tenacious defense and solid second-half shooting to earn the eight-point victory, which lifts the squad into a first place tie with GC&SU at 11-3 in the league. The win improves the Lakers to 18-3 overall on the season keeps them ahead of the Cougars in the South Atlantic Region standings. The Lakers were second in the latest poll, followed by the Cougars third. Columbus State falls to 16-6 overall and 10-3 in the PBC.  

Columbus State came out sizzling in the opening minutes Monday, draining a trio of three-pointers in a row to take a 9-0 lead. Justin Wilson hit the first three-pointer and Ron Robinson hit the next two. The Cougars built a 16-4 lead before the Lakers answered with a run of their own. Clayton State used a 13-0 run to take a 17-16 lead with 11:09 left in the half. Michael Sloan capped the run with a three-pointer off a Todd McLaurin feed.  

The Cougars fought back to take a 30-29 lead with 3:16 left on a Corris Portis three-pointer, but Clayton State’s Brandon Kelley hit a pair of free-throws 14 seconds later to reclaim the lead. The Lakers stretched that one-point advantage to four, 37-33, at the half. 

In the second half, the Clayton State defense keep Columbus State off-track and stretched a two-point lead (39-37) with 18:46 left into a big 60-46 lead with 11:07 left on a 21-9 run. The Cougars answered and cut the deficit to 64-59 with 7:04 left, but Clayton State had an answer, going on a 12-5 run to get the margin back to 76-64. Brandon Kelley had five points and two big steals that led to points in the run.  

Columbus would get as close as five points with a minute left, but could get no closer, as the Lakers hit eight of 11 free-throws down the stretch to seal the win. 

Clayton State placed five players in double digits with Todd McLaurin and Michael Sloan leading the way with 16 each. Kelley added 14 along with John Beugnot, while Donte Dawson chipped in 13. TJ Waldon led the Lakers in rebounding with nine, followed by Buegnot with eight. Clayton State shot 58 percent in the second half to finish at 48 percent for the contest. 

Columbus State put four players in double digits, led by a game-high 26 points from Ransom Antoine. Antoine went 8-14 overall and 10-14 at the free-throw line to go with nine rebounds. Portis added 19 points, while Ron Robinson contributed 12 and Justin Wilson 11. The Cougars shot just 34 percent for the game and 24 percent from three-point range. 

Clayton State hosts Augusta State on Wednesday at 7:30, while CSU travels to USC Aiken on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. PBC matchup.

#25 Clayton State holds on for 68-64 Peach Belt road victory over USC Upstate; to play at #20 Columbus State

Spartanburg, SC – February 4, 2006 --- Clayton State’s Michael Sloan hit a jumper and a three-pointer in the closing minutes Saturday to lift the 25th-ranked Laker men’s basketball team to a 68-64 Peach Belt Conference win over USC Upstate at the G.B. Hodge Center. 

With the Lakers holding a slim 6-1-60 advantage, Sloan hit his first basket with 1:17 remaining to give the squad a 63-60 advantage. After a USC Upstate miss from 3-point territory, he drained one of his own from behind the 3-point arc to give the team a 66-60 win with 38 seconds remaining. 

A USC Upstate basket by Jeremy Byrd with 16 seconds left cut the deficit to four, but Clayton State’s Todd McLaurin hit two free throws, two of his game-high 20 points, with 14 seconds left to seal the victory for the Lakers. 

The win, which improves Clayton State to 17-3 overall and 10-3 in the league, sets up a Monday showdown of the two top-ranked teams in the Peach Belt Conference, battling for the top spot in the league. Clayton State will travel to face 20th-ranked Columbus State in a 7:30 p.m. game on Monday. The Cougars entered Saturday’s game at Lander atop the PBC standings with a 15- 5 overall and a 9-2 mark in the league. 

In Saturday’s game, USC Upstate led early in the game and pushed its lead to double-digits, 24-14, on a three-pointer by Ivica Grgurovic with 8:14 remaining. Clayton State came right back with a nine unanswered points, the first six on three-pointers by Luis Rodriguez and Todd McLaurin. A free throw by T.J. Waldon and a basket by McLaurin cut the deficit to 24-23. 

After Upstate pushed its lead back to three points in the final two minutes of the period, a couple of three-pointers by Sloan and McLaurin gave the Lakers a 35-32 lead with 1:13 left. USC Upstate answered only to have Sloan hit another three-pointer to close the half and give the squad a 38-34 led at intermission. 

Clayton State pushed its lead to 11 points, 55-44, in the opening minutes of the second half before Upstate went on a 13-4 run to cut the Laker lead to a single point in the final four minutes of the game. 

The Lakers, who lead the nation in field goal percentage defense, held USC Upstate to 36 percent (22-of-62) shooting from the floor, the ninth time in the last 10 games the squad has held an opponent to under 40 percent shooting. Clayton State shot 44 percent (26-of-59) from the floor. 

Behind McLaurin’s 20 points, Sloan finished with 16 points, hitting 6-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-4 from behind the three-point arc. John Beugnot finished with nine points and 10 boards. 

For Upstate, Daniel Quinlan finished with 20 points, followed by Byrd with 11 points and Grgurovic with 10 points.

 

#25 Clayton State cruises 72-54 win over Lander; to play at USC Upstate on Sat. 

Morrow, GA --- February 1, 2006 --- Behind a season-high point total from John Beugnot and their stout defense, the 25th-ranked Clayton State Lakers cruised to 72-54 Peach Belt Conference victory over Lander Wednesday at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Beugnot, a junior from Lyon, France, finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the club. And once again, Clayton State’s defense proved to be a difference maker, holding the Bearcats to only 32 percent (19-of-59) shooting from the floor. 

Clayton State entered the game as the national leader, holding opponents to only 36 percent shooting on the season. The club has held nine of it last nine opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field. 

After both teams swapped baskets in the first nine minutes of the game, Clayton State closed the first period with a 28-13 run in the final 12 minutes to take a 41-27 lead at intermission. 

Beugnot led the team in the half with 12 points and gave the squad a 14 point lead, 30-16, with two free throws with 7:06 remaining. Lander came back with seven straight points and cut the deficit to 30-23 with a three-pointer by Emmanuel Hodrea. 

Clayton State answered over the final five minutes though, first reeling off seven straight points of its own, capped by a three-point play by Beugnot, giving the squad a 37-23 lead with 2:25 left. CSU maintained its 14-point lead into the locker rooms. 

In the second half, Clayton State led by at least 16 points or more the entire stanza except for one early possession in the period. A three-pointer by Brandon Kelley with 8:38 remaining gave the squad its largest lead of the 23 points, 65-42. 

With the win, the Lakers improve to 16-3 overall and 9-3 in the Peach Belt. Lander drops to 5-13 overall and 2-9 in the league. Clayton State, will return to action on Saturday at USC Upstate, while Lander will host Columbus State. The Lakers are one-game behind conference leader Columbus State, who defeated Upstate on Wednesday. 

Behind Beugnot’s season high 22 points, which came on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free throw line, Kelley and Cedrick Kalombo each added 11 points. 

For Lander, Jarred Jackson finished with 14 points and six rebounds, followed by Hodrea with 12 points. Scottie Smith led the Bearcats with eight boards. 

After shooting over 50 percent from the field for three straight games, the Lakers shot a respectable 47 percent (26-of-55) on Wednesday. Lander outrebounded CSU 44-33 but did commit 16 turnovers compared to the Lakers’ 10.

 

##CSU##

Clayton State atop NCAA D-II stats in field goal percentage defense; Lakers crack NABC top-25 

Morrow, GA --- January 31, 2006 --- “De-fense … de-fense … de-fense” has been the battle cry for fifth-year head Clayton State men’s basketball coach Gordon Gibbons’ teams and earlier this week, the Lakers climbed to a spot that is a first for the program. 

The Laker men’s squad entered the week, as the nation’s top-ranked NCAA Division II team in the all-important category of field goal percentage defense. Through 18 games, the Lakers are holding opponents to a lowly 36.5 shooting percentage, just ahead of Adelphia, a school out of New York. 

In addition to holding the top defensive spot, the Lakers also broke into the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) rankings Tuesday, coming in at 25th in the country among NCAA Division II teams. 

“Both are superb achievements for our program,” said head coach Gordon Gibbons, one of the NCAA Division II winningest coaches. “We pride ourselves on defense, so leading the nation in field goal percentage defense is an especially satisfying stat. It is a compliment to both the hard work of our players and coaches.” 

The national ranking is the first time in program history the Lakers have been nationally ranked this late in the season. Clayton State has been in the preseason rankings several times over the last few years and was ranked in December of 1998 after opening the season with an 8-0 record. 

Along with Clayton State, Columbus State is also in the national rankings at 20th and Armstrong State is receiving votes for the poll. Clayton State is currently playing some its best basketball of the season, riding a four-game winning streak, including recent wins over two of the top PBC teams in Armstrong State and GC&SU. 

In addition to the No. 1 ranking in field goal percentage defense, the team also ranks sixth in the country in points allowed, giving up 59.1 points per game. The Lakers have held three of their last four opponents to under 50 points per game. 

Clayton State will put its top-ranked defense and No. 25 ranking on the line Wednesday, hosting Lander in Peach Belt action. The Lakers will enter the game with a 15-3 record and an 8-3 mark in the league. Clayton State is tied for second and one game out of the Peach Belt lead behind Columbus.   

Tip-off for Wednesday’s game is 7:30 p.m. at the school’s Athletics & Fitness Center. General admission is $5 and faculty, staff and students are admitted free with their Laker Card.  

Clayton State defeated Lander last week 64-61 in Greenwood, SC, behind 17 points from junior Brandon Kelley. The Lakers are coming off a 69-49 victory on Saturday over GC&SU, one of the program’s all-time best defensive efforts where the club held the Bobcats to a 11 first half points.  

The Bearcats will enter with a 5-12 overall mark and a 2-8 record in the Peach Belt. Lander is coming off a 64-61 loss to Francis Marion on Saturday. Against Clayton State last week, Jarred Jackson finished with 14 points, followed by Scottie Smith with 13 points.  

The all-time series between CSU and Lander is even at 5-5, and the Lakers have won the last four. 

NABC Division II Men’s Basketball Top 25 

Rank Team

Record

Points

Last Week

1. Virginia Union (6)

14-2

187

5

2. Fort Hays State

18-1

182

6

3. Southern Indiana (1)

21-2

177

8

4. Western Washington

16-2

164

2

5. Seattle Pacific (1)

16-2

162

7

6. Montevallo

18-2

161

1

7. Findlay

18-2

154

9

8. Barton

15-1

152

10

9. Delta State

18-1

144

11

10. Saint Joseph's

18-2

136

3

11. Southwest Baptist

18-2

129

4

12. Northern State

17-2

119

13

13. Winona State

16-4

103

16

14. Alabama-Huntsville

17-3

90

12

15. Tarleton State

16-4

82

25

16. Grand Valley State

17-3

75

21

17. Alderson-Broaddus

14-3

53

20

18. SIU-Edwardsville

15-3

50

RV

19. West Liberty State

16-2

32

RV

20. Columbus State

14-5

30

NR

21. Minnesota State-Mankato

17-4

28

17

22. Truman State

16-4

27

RV

23. Saint Anselm

15-5

24

NR

24. Johnson C. Smith

14-4

23

14

25. Clayton State

15-3

20

NR

  Others receiving votes: Central Missouri State 15, Mount Olive 11, Massachusetts-Lowell 10, Chaminade 9, Northwest Missouri State 8, Saint Augustine's 8, West Virginia State 7, Armstrong Atlantic State 6, Stonehill 5, Grand Canyon 5, Lynn 3, Saint Rose 3, Ferris State 2, Sonoma State 2, Ashland 1, Bentley 1. 

 ###CSU###

Clayton State rolls to 69-49 win over GC&SU climbs into tie for second in PBC 

Milledgeville, GA --- January 28, 2006 --- If the old saying, defense wins championships is true, the 2005-06 season for the Clayton State men’s basketball team is shaping up to be a banner season. 

For the third time in the last four games, the Clayton State men’s team held an opponent under 50 points, this time it was a 69-49 Peach Belt Conference victory over GC&SU in Milledgeville, GA, moving the Lakers into a tie for second place in the league, one game behind conference leader Columbus State. 

Clayton State, who is ranked fourth nationally in field goal percentage defense in the latest NCAA Division II stats, lowered its percentage on Saturday, holding the Bobcats to 23 percent (15-of-66) from the floor, the second lowest of any opponent this season. 

The game was not as close as the 20-point deficit indicated. The Lakers ran out to a big first half lead, going on a 32-6 run over the final 17 minutes of the first period and never looked back. 

The Lakers led 38-11 at halftime, and the 11 points is the fewest number of points allowed in a half this season by the squad. The Bobcats were held to only 14 percent (5-of-36) shooting in the first half. 

In the second half, Clayton State led by 25 points or more for most of the stanza until the Bobcats made a late run. The Lakers led by 35 points, 63-28, on a layup by Michael Sloan with 9:20 left in the game. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 15-3 overall and 8-3 in the Peach Belt, while GC&SU drops to 11-6 overall and 8-3 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Lander in a 7:30 p.m. contest. 

Clayton State shot 53 percent (30-of-57) from the floor, its third highest percentage on the season. Along with struggling from the floor, the Bobcats hit only 19 percent (5-of-26) from three-point range and 50 percent (14-of-28) from the free throw line. 

T.J. Waldon led the Lakers with 15 points and four rebounds in the win, followed by Todd McLaurin with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. John Beugnot had nine points, eight boards and three assists. Sloan also chipped in nine points for the Lakers. 

For GC&SU, Aaron Gibbs was the only player in double-digits with 10 points.

Clayton State cruises to pivotal 66-49 Peach Belt 
Conference win over Armstrong State Wed. 

Morrow, GA – January 25, 2006 --- The Clayton State men’s basketball team turned in another splendid defensive effort Wednesday, picking up a pivotal 66-49 Peach Belt Conference victory over Armstrong Atlantic State at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Clayton State, with the nation’s fourth-ranked defense, held Armstrong State to under 50 points and under 40 percent (17-of-43) shooting from the floor to pick up the win. The defense effort comes on the heels of an effort on Saturday when the Laker defense held Francis Marion to only 39 points in the game. 

After falling behind in the early minutes of the game, 11-5 on a AASU three-pointer by Tory Harris, Clayton State responded with a 23-12 run over the final 14 minutes of the period and took a 36-23 lead at intermission. 

Clayton State shot a sizzling 58 percent (15-of-26) in the opening period and was led by guard Todd McLaurin’s 11 points. He scored all 11 of his first half points in the stretch, including a basket with 45 seconds remaining to give the squad a 13-point lead at halftime. 

Clayton State led by double-digits for most of the second half, allowing the Pirates to cut the deficit to nine points twice. A Bryan Taylor layup with 14:49 remaining, cut the Laker lead to 44-35, but Clayton State answered immediately to push its lead back to 11 points with a basket by T.J. Waldon. 

Leading 52-41 with six minutes left, Clayton State went on a 14-4 run over a four-minute stretch to put the game out of the reach. A Michael Sloan free throw at the 2:07 mark capped the run, giving the Lakers a 21-point, 66-45 advantage. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 14-3 overall and 7-3 in the Peach Belt, while Armstrong State drops to 13-4 overall and 7-3 in the league. The Lakers, currently tied for third in the Peach Belt, will travel Saturday to GC&SU and take on the Bobcats, who are in second in the league after falling 86-81 to leader Columbus State on Wednesday. Armstrong State will host Columbus State on Saturday. 

McLaurin, the Peach Belt’s second-leading scorer, led Clayton State with 17 points, followed by Sloan with 14 points, hitting 6-of-6 from the field. Brandon Kelley chipped in 11 points. 

For Armstrong State, Harris led the Pirates with 10 points, followed by Jamaal Galloway with nine. The Lakers held AASU leading scorer and rebounder Bryan Taylor to eight points and three rebounds. 

Clayton State finished the game, hitting 50 percent (27-of-54) from the floor. Clayton State outrebounded the Pirates 33-23 and had only 11 turnovers compared to 15 for the Pirates.

Clayton State holds on for 64-61 
win Monday over Lander in Peach Belt 

Greenwood, SC --- January 23, 2006 --- The Clayton State men’s basketball team had to hold on, but in the end pulled out its sixth Peach Belt Conference victory of the season, defeating Lander 64-61 Monday in Greenwood, SC. 

Leading by five points, 62-57, with 45 seconds remaining, Lander’s Emanuel Hodrea was fouled on a three-pointer, setting up a trio of free throws for the Bearcats. After hitting the first one and missing the second one, Hondrea missed again but the ball was tipped out to Jahi Rawlings, who drained a three-pointer, cutting the Laker lead to a single point with 25 seconds remaining. 

That was as close as the Bearcats would come though, as on Clayton State’s ensuing possession, junior Brandon Kelley was fouled and drained two free throws to push the Laker lead back to three points, 64-61. Lander had one last chance to tie the game at 64 but a three pointer by J.T. Greene rolled out in the final seconds. 

With the win, the Lakers improve to 13-3 overall and 6-3 in the Peach Belt, while Lander drops to 4-11 and 1-7 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Armstrong State in a 7:30 p.m. contest at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

The Lakers led most of the second half and took a 12-point advantage, 50-38, with 7:47 left on a basket by sophomore Michael Sloan. The Lakers led by 11 points, 57-46 on a three-pointer by Kelley at the five minute mark before the Bearcats went on a 15-5 run over the next four minutes to make things interesting in the final minute. 

Clayton State led 28-26 at intermission, taking the lead at the buzzer on a tip-in by senior guard Donte Dawson. 

Kelley led the Lakers with 17 points, hitting 5-of-7 from the field, 2-of-2 from three-point range and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. He also pulled a game-high seven boards. Todd McLaurin finished with 16 points, followed by Aristide Sawadogo with 13 points and five boards. 

Jarred Jackson led Lander with 14 points, followed by Scottie Smith with 13 points and six rebounds. 

Clayton State shot 49 percent (21-of-43) from the floor, while Lander hit 35 percent (17-of-48) from the floor. The Lakers won the battle on the boards, outrebounding Lander 34-28 but did commit 17 turnovers compared to 13 for the Bearcats.

Clayton State defense powers Lakers to 56-39
win over Francis Marion in Peach Belt action Saturday 

Morrow, GA – January 21, 2006 --- The Clayton State men’s basketball team held Francis Marion to 39 points and junior Todd McLaurin scored 20 points to lead the Lakers to a convincing 56-39 Peach Belt Conference victory Saturday at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Clayton State’s defense turned in one of its best defensive efforts of the season, holding the Patriots to 30 percent (14-of-46) shooting from the field and had a good chance of at least matching the Peach Belt record for fewest points allowed in a league game of 36 until the Patriots’ Akeene Coakley drained a three-pointer in the closing seconds. The Lakers hold the PBC record for fewest points allowed of 36, set in 2004 against GC&SU. 

Leading by 11 points, 32-21, with 15:06 remaining in the game, Clayton State took control with a 22-0 run over a 10-minute span. Guards McLaurin and Brandon Kelley supplied most of the offense in the stretch with McLaurin scoring seven points and Kelley six. A layup by Kelley with 5:36 remaining gave Clayton State a game-high 33-point, 54-21, lead. The Laker defense forced nine missed shots and picked up six turnovers in the run. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 12-3 overall and 5-3 in the Peach Belt, while Francis Marion drops to 7-8 overall and 2-6 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Monday, traveling to face Lander, while Francis Marion will host North Georgia on Monday. 

In the first half, FMU’s Paul Braxton drained a three-pointer with 10:28 remaining to cut the Laker lead to 9-7 but scored only six more points in the period, as Clayton State went on a 15-6 run over the last 10 minutes and took a 26-13 advantage at halftime. The Lakers held FMU to 23 percent (5-of-22) shooting in the period. 

Behind McLaurin’s 20 points, Kelley added 11 points, followed by junior Michael Sloan with seven. Aristide Sawadogo finished with a game-high nine rebounds to go along with five points and three blocks. 

For FMU, Braxton finished with nine points, followed by Rodrick Burton with eight. 

Clayton State shot 48 percent (20-of-42) from the field in the game and a sizzling 65 percent (11-of-17) in the second half.

Clayton State men fall 85-73 to North Georgia
in Peach Belt Conference action Wednesday 

Morrow, GA – January 18, 2006 --- The Clayton State University men’s basketball team had an eight-game winning streak snapped Wednesday, falling 85-73 to North Georgia College & State University in Peach Belt Conference action at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Clayton State raced to a quick seven-point, 12-5, advantage in the first four minutes of the game on a steal and dunk by Michael Sloan only to have the Saints march to a 19-4 run over the next seven minutes and take an eight-point lead, 24-16, on one of two free throws by Mark Causey. 

The Lakers cut into the deficit and trailed by only five points on two free throws by Brandon Kelley with 4:43 remaining but North Georgia closed the half with a 10-4 run and took a 41-30 lead at intermission. Causey and Charles Mitchell did most of the damage for the Saints in the first half with 16 and 14 points, respectively in the period. 

In the second half, North Georgia pushed its lead to 15 points in the first five minutes on two occasions but Clayton State battled back over the next five to cut the lead to nine, 54-45, on a three-pointer by Kelley with 10:09 left. 

The Saints re-extended their lead to 15 points three minutes later on a three-point play by Matt Causey to take a 64-49 lead, and once again the Lakers answered. An 11-4 run over the next two minutes capped on a rebound and put-back by junior John Begunot cut the lead to 68-60 with 4:31 left, but that was as close as the Lakers would come. 

North Georgia came right back with six straight points and led 74-60 on two Matt Causey free throws at the 3:07 mark. Clayton State cut the lead to eight on three occasions in the final 1:30 but the Saints hit 7-of-8 from the free throw line to seal the victory. 

Clayton State took 24 more shots from the field than the Saints, had five more field goals and won the turnover statistic 25-19, but North Georgia had a decisive advantage at the free three throw line, hitting 34-of-44, while the Lakers hit 12-of-17. 

With the loss, Clayton State drops to 11-3 overall and 4-3 in the Peach Belt, while North Georgia improves to 8-5 overall and 5-3 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, hosting Francis Marion in a 4 p.m. game, while North Georgia will host Armstrong Atlantic State University on Saturday at 4 p.m. 

For Clayton State, Todd McLaurin led the attack with 20 points, followed by Kelley with 18 points. Beugnot chipped in nine points and had seven boards. 

Matt Causey, the PBC’s leading scorer, finished with a game-high 29 points, including 15-of-16 from the free throw line, followed by Mitchell with 23 points and Mark Causey with 17 points. 

North Georgia shot 43 percent (23-of-53) from the field, including 48 percent (10-of-21) in the second half. The Lakers heated up in the second half, shooting 49 percent (17-of-35) after hitting only 26 percent (11-of-42) in the first period.

Clayton State extends streak to school best eight with 63-50 win over UNC Pembroke on Saturday  

Morrow, GA – January 14, 2006 --- A 9-0 run over a four-minute stretch in the second half lifted the Clayton State men’s basketball team to a 63-50 Peach Belt Conference win Saturday over UNC Pembroke at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

The win extended the Laker win streak to eight on the season, matching the program’s best streak of eight to open the 1998 season. 

Leading by two points, junior Jeff Trotter ignited the run with a basket at the 10:37 mark, giving the Lakers a 43-39 lead. A dunk by sophomore Cedrick Kalombo, followed by a three-pointer from junior Todd McLaurin and dunk by Michael Sloan off a steal by junior Brandon Kelley gave the Lakers an 11-point lead, 50-39, with 6:23 left. 

UNC Pembroke cut the deficit to seven points, 50-43, with four straight points but could come no closer over the final six minutes of the game. An inside basket by junior Aristide Sawadogo gave the Lakers a 15-point lead, 59-44, with 1:07 left to seal the victory. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 11-2 on the season, its best start to a season, and 4-2 in the Peach Belt, while UNC Pembroke drops to 4-9 overall and 1-6 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday, hosting North Georgia in a 7:30 p.m. contest. 

UNCP jumped out to a quick start, taking a 14-8 lead on a three-pointer by Arne Danielson at the 8:08 mark of the period. Clayton State closed the half strong and took a three-point lead, 24-21, with 40 seconds remaining on a three-point basket by junior Brandon Kelley only to have the Braves’ Gabe Pinkston knot the game at 24 in the closing seconds of the period on a three-pointer of his own. 

Kelley led Clayton State in the game with 15 points and five assists, followed by junior John Beugnot with 10 points and seven rebounds. 

For UNCP, Jarrell Hunter finished with 11 points and six rebounds, while Lee Moore chipped in 10 points and pulled six rebounds. 

Clayton State shot 42 percent (25-of-60) from the floor, while the Braves hit 36 percent (21-of-58). UNC Pembroke outrebounded the Lakers 41-39 but did commit 23 turnovers, including 14 in the second half, compared to 19 for the Lakers and only seven in the second half.

Clayton State men extend winning streak to seven games with 73-58 win over USC Aiken

 Aiken, SC --- January 7, 2006 --- A 15-0 stretch midway through the second half lifted the Clayton State men’s basketball team to a 73-58 Peach Belt Conference victory Saturday at USC Aiken in Aiken, SC. 

Leading 45-44 with 12:52 remaining, junior guard Brandon Kelley got the run started with two free throws, followed by baskets from junior forward Jeff Trotter and a jumper by guard Todd McLaurin. Junior forward John Beugnot pushed the lead double-digits, 54-44 with a three-pointer from the top of the key with 11 minutes remaining. 

A basket by sophomore Michael Sloan and McLaurin, followed by two more free throws by Kelley capped the run, giving the squad a 60-44 lead with 7:20 remaining. The Lakers led by double digits for the remainder of the contest. 

The win extends Clayton State in streak to seven games and improves the club to 10-2 on the year and 3-2 in the league. USC Aiken drops to 2-8 on the year and 0-4 in the league. Clayton State will try to extend its winning streak on Saturday, hosting UNC Pembroke in a 4 p.m. contest.

 USC Aiken jumped out to a quick lead, maintaining its advantage the first eight minutes of the game. The Pacers led by nine points, 14-5, before the Lakers battled back. A 10-0 run over the next five minutes gave the Lakers a 15-14 lead on the second of two free throws by junior center Aristide Sawadogo. Both teams swapped baskets for the next four minutes until CSU went on a 6-2 spurt to take a 35-30 lead at intermission. 

For Clayton State Todd McLaurin led the way with 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals, followed by Beugnot with 17 points, eight rebounds and a trio of steals.Kelley chipped in 10 points and had three steals. 

Lukas Varga led USC Aiken with 11 points. 

The Lakers shot 50 percent (26-of-52) from the floor, while holding the Pacers to 34 percent (18-of-53). Clayton State outrebounded USCA 37-30 and forced the Pacers into 25 turnovers.

Second half run lifts Lakers to 83-66 victory over Augusta State; Kelley leads the way with 19 points 

Augusta, GA --- January 4, 2006 --- A 19-6 second half run lifted the Clayton State men’s basketball team to a hard-fought 83-66 Peach Belt Conference victory Wednesday over Augusta State at Christenberry Fieldhouse. 

Clayton State’s Brandon Kelley ignited the game-deciding run, scoring eight of the Lakers’ nine points in a three-minute stretch. A free throw by Kelley with 11:11 left gave the Lakers a 14-point, 58-44, lead. 

A three-pointer, followed by two free throws by Michael Sloan pushed the Laker lead to 17 points. Kelley capped the run with a steal and layup, giving the Lakers a 67-48 lead with 8:16 remaining. 

Augusta State battled back with one final run, cutting the deficit to 12 points with 2:58 remaining only to have the Lakers rattle off six straight points to seal the victory. A three-pointer by John Beugnot, a dunk by Sloan, followed by two free throws by Kelley gave the Lakers an insurmountable 19-point lead, 81-62, with 1:22 left. 

Kelley scored 16 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to lead the Lakers to the victory, including 9-of-11 from the free throw line. He also dished off four assists and had four steals. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 9-2 overall and 2-2 in the league, while Augusta State drops to 4-6 and 0-3 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face USC Aiken in a 7:30 p.m. game. 

In the first half, Clayton State raced out to a big advantage, leading 16-1 on the second of two free throws by Luis Rodriguez with 13:54 remaining. Augusta State answered with 14-1 run of its own to cut the deficit to two points with 10:07 remaining. Both teams swapped baskets in the final minutes of the half before Maxi Rios drained a three-pointer to give the Lakers a 37-31 lead at intermission. 

Behind Kelley’s game high 19 points, Michael Sloan had 17 points, followed by Beugnot with 12 points. Todd McLaurin finished chipped in nine points, followed by T.J. Waldon with eight. 

Matt Scott led Augusta State with 19 points, which included five three-pointers, followed by Karim Telfar with 13 points. 

Clayton State shot 46 percent (26-of-56) from the floor, while holding the Jaguars to 37 percent (19-of-52). In a foul-filled game that included 56 fouls and five technical fouls, Clayton State shot 78 percent (25-of-32) from the free throw line, while Augusta State struggled hitting only 54 percent (23-of-43). 

Augusta State won the battle on the boards, outrebounding the Lakers 46-30 but did commit 21 turnovers compared to Clayton State’s 12.
Clayton State downs Albany State 74-66;  
improves to 8-2 on the season 

Morrow, GA – December 30, 2005 – The Clayton State men’s basketball pushed its record to 8-2 on the season Friday, winning its fifth straight game, downing Albany State 74-66 in the Heritage Bank Holiday Classic at the Athletics & Fitness Center.  

Clayton State raced out to a big first half lead and then held off a late comeback by the Golden Rams to pull out the eight-point victory. The Lakers jumped out to a quick 10-point advantage, 12-2, in the first five minutes of the game on a basket by Michael Sloan.  

After Albany State battled back to cut the deficit to five points, 20-15, on a jumper by Antwain Adams, the Lakers closed the half with an impressive to 21-5 run to take a commanding 41-20 lead at intermission. Aristide Sawadogo capped the run, hitting two free throws after he was fouled at the first half buzzer.  

In the second half, Clayton State maintained its double-digit lead for the first 10 minutes until Rafael Burford drained a three-pointer to cut the Laker lead to seven points, 51-44, with 9:20 remaining. Both teams swapped baskets for the next five minutes before Clayton State went on a quick 6-0 spurt to seal the game.  

Leading by eight points, 65-57, Brandon Kelley scored consecutive baskets, followed by two free throws by John Beugnot to give the squad a 14-point advantage, 71-57, with 2:17 remaining. The Rams cut the lead to nine points with 23 seconds remaining but Kelley hit two free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.  

Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, traveling to face Augusta State in Peach Belt Conference action. Albany State drops to 2-3 on the year.  

Kelley led a balanced attack for the Lakers with 13 points, followed by Todd McLaurin with 11. Beugnot and Sawadogo each chipped in 10 points. McLaurin led the squad on the boards with seven rebounds to go along with four assists.  

For Albany State, Burford finished with 22 points, hitting 7-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 from 3-point territory. Frank Pinson chipped in 18 points.  

Clayton State shot 47 percent (24-of-51) from the floor, while Albany State hit 42 percent (22-of-52). The Lakers controlled the boards, outrebounding the Golden Rams 42-26.
Clayton State cruises to 89-56 win over
Edward Waters; to host Albany State on Friday 

Morrow, GA – December 29, 2005 – After getting off to a bit of a slow start on Thursday, the Clayton State men’s basketball team kicked into overdrive midway through the first half and cruised to an 89-56 victory over Edward Waters in Heritage Bank Holiday Classic at the Athletics & Fitness Center.  

Leading by nine points, 23-14, with 11:05 remaining in the first period, Clayton State went on a 19-7 run to close the half and take a commanding 42-21 at intermission. Sophomore Aristide Sawadogo sparked the run with a dunk at the 8:33 mark, giving the Lakers a 25-14 advantage.  

Later in the period, junior Todd McLaurin drained a three-pointer to give the squad a 17-point advantage with 4:51 remaining. After Edward Waters answered with a basket, senior Donte Dawson came right back to re-extend the lead to 17 again with a three-pointer of his own with 2:51 left. Edward Waters hit two free throws to cut the deficit to 15 points only to have Clayton State close the period with six straight points on consecutive three-point plays by junior John Beugnot.  

In the second half, Clayton State raced out to a 41-point lead in the first 10 minutes of the period, thanks to a 30-10 run. Sophomore Michael Sloan, who finished with a career and game high 19 points, capped the run, draining a three-pointer to give the squad a 72-31 lead with 9:26 remaining. Sloan had a trio of three-pointers in the stretch, while junior Maxi Rios drained a couple.  

Clayton State would push its lead to as many as 44 points later in the game and led by at least 33 points for the remainder of the contest.  

With the win, the Lakers improve to 7-2 on the year, while Edward Waters drops to 1-13 on the season. Clayton State will return to action on Friday, hosting Albany State University in a 7:30 p.m. game.  

Behind Sloan’s 19 points and seven rebounds, McLaurin chipped in 14 points to go along with six assists and three steals. Beugnot finished with nine points and 12 rebounds. Dawson, Rios and senior T.J. Waldon each added nine points.  

For Edward Waters, Jabari Davis finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, followed by Ulysses Bain with 15 points. Rondell Harris added 10 points to go along with eight boards.  

Clayton State shot 43 percent (35-of-82) from the field and held the Tigers to 29 percent (17-of-58). The Lakers also controlled the boards, outrebounding Edward Waters 54-42 and forced the Tigers in to 20 turnovers compared to committing only nine.

Clayton State men defeat #21 USC Upstate 
66-55 in Peach Belt action Monday 

Morrow, GA – December 19, 2005 – For the second year in a row, the Clayton State men’s basketball team has faced USC Upsate when the Spartans were nationally ranked, and also for the second time in a row, the Lakers came out victorious in the contest. 

Clayton State picked up a big Peach Belt Conference victory Monday, never trailing, in a 66-55 victory over 21st-ranked USC Upstate at the Athletics & Fitness Center. The Spartans were ranked eighth in the nation last year when CSU defeated Upstate in Spartanburg, SC. 

The Lakers led from the opening tip and extended its lead double-digits a few times but was never able to pull away until the final minutes of the contest. 

Leading by four points, 24-20, with 2:30 remaining in the first period, Clayton State scored six unanswered points to take a 10-point lead, 30-20, with 1:06 remaining. Junior Todd McLaurin and sophomore Michael Sloan drained consecutive three-pointers to give the Lakers the double-digit advantage. Upstate’s Luke Payne answered with the final basket of the period, cutting the Laker lead to 30-22 at intermission. 

In the second half, Clayton State raced out to game-high 14-point lead in the first two minutes on three unanswered baskets by senior Donte Dawson, sophomore Cedrick Kalombo and Sloan. Upstate battled