Defense rests! Clayton State men clamp down on Georgia Southwestern 63-38
Sloan scores 15 points as Lakers improve to 11-11 and 7-8 in Peach Belt Conference

MORROW, Ga. – February 13, 2008 – The Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team has evolved into the top defensive team in the Peach Belt Conference, and the Lakers proved it on Wednesday with a convincing 63-38 victory over visiting Georgia Southwestern at the Athletics and Fitness Center.

The victory snaps a three-game losing streak for the Lakers, who improve to 11-11 overall and 7-8 in the Peach Belt Conference.

Clayton State’s stellar defensive performance took center stage. The Lakers limited Georgia Southwestern to only 22 percent shooting from the field, and only a meager 1-for-23 (four percent) from 3-point range. The key for Clayton State was shutting down the Hurricane high scoring duo of Anthony Sargent and Aaron Wyatt, and the Lakers did just that.

Sargent came into the game leading the Peach Belt Conference in scoring, averaging 23 points a game, and Wyatt was fourth in the conference at 19 points. However, Clayton State put the defensive clamps on both, limiting Wyatt to 14 points on only 4-for-10 shooting from the field, and Sargent to only 11 points on a torrid 2-for-17 shooting from the field.

Clayton State held the Hurricanes to only four field goals in the first half, and the Hurricanes went 13 minutes without scoring a field goal when Wyatt’s lay-up cut the Laker lead to 28-16 with 2:07 remaining. That was part of an 8-0 Georgia Southwestern run as the Hurricanes’ cut the lead to eight points on two free throws and jump shot by Sargent in the lane.

However, Clayton State countered as Will Lewis drained two straight 3-point baskets, giving the Lakers a 34-20 lead at halftime.

Georgia Southwestern never got closer than 12 points in the second half as the Lakers’ defense totally took over. Ricky Garrett triggered an 11-0 Clayton State run with a 3-point play at the 16:40 mark, followed by another jump shot by both Garrett and Bernard Fields. Kelly finished the rally with a slam dunk in transition to give the Lakers a commanding 49-26 lead with 12:46 remaining.

Clayton State took its largest lead of the game, 63-32 on a 3-point basket by Michael Sloan at the 4:13 mark.

Sloan paced the Lakers with 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field, while Lewis scored 11 points off the bench and Garrett scored 10 points. Guard Tracy Williams added nine points for Clayton State, which shot 42 percent from the field, 47 percent from 3-poinr range and 80 percent from the free throw line.

Clayton State returns to action on Monday for a 7:30 p.m. Peach Belt Conference showdown at in-state rival Armstrong Atlantic.