"Sweet 16"! Clayton State men knock off Lenoir-Rhyne 83-69 in overtime South Atlantic Regional semifinals
Sloan scores 21 points as Lakers gear up for region championship showdown at Augusta State

AUGUSTA, Ga. – March 16, 2008 – Overtime periods are starting to become normal for the Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team. Fortunately, it’s working in their favor.

First was the thrilling triple-overtime victory over USC Aiken in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship game. Then on Sunday night in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Regional semifinals against Lenoir-Rhyne, the Lakers needed an extra session, but ran away with an 83-69 victory at Augusta State’s Christenberry Fieldhouse by not allowing the Bears a point in the overtime period.

The victory improves Clayton State to 19-14 overall, and sets up a huge showdown in the South Atlantic Region championship at big-time rival Augusta State on Tuesday night at Christenberry Fieldhouse. This marks the first time ever that Clayton State has advanced to the region championship, or the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

Clayton State held an eight-point lead 64-57 with 4:29 remaining on two free throws by Will Lewis. However, Lenoir-Rhyne responded with a 3-point basket by Elliott McDowell, followed by a lay-up by Reggie Bratton with 2:11 remaining to cut the Laker lead to 65-63.

After Lenoir-Rhyne trimmed the lead to one point with 39 seconds remaining, Clayton State went back up three points on two more free throws by Lewis with 28 seconds remaining. However, the Bears tied the game with five seconds remaining on a 3-point basket by Josh Kindred, forcing the overtime period.

In the extra session, the Lakers held Lenoir-Rhyne scoreless with a 14-0 run. Clayton State opened with four straight free throws by Michael Sloan, followed by a lay-up by Brian Kelly with 2:53 remaining to give Clayton State a 75-69 lead.

Lenoir-Rhyne was 0-for-9 from the field in overtime, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Clayton State, meanwhile, nailed six free throws in the final two minutes, and a lay-up by Tracy Williams gave the Lakers an 81-69 lead with 53 seconds remaining.

Sloan scored 21 points to pace Clayton State, and the senior guard moved into second all-time in scoring at Clayton State now with 1,256 points. Center Jerome Boyd scored 14 points off the bench on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting from the field, while Lewis scored 12 points off the bench. Williams added 10 points for Clayton State, who shot a season-best 58 percent from the field, 53 percent from 3-point range and 82 percent from the free throw line.

Defensively, the Lakers limited the Bears to only 21 percent shooting from 3-point range.

For Lenoir-Rhyne (23-7), McDowell scored 17 points off the bench, while Josh Rudder scored 14 points and Kindred scored 13 points. The Bears shot 47 percent from the field, including a sizzlin’ 74 percent (14-for-19) in the first half.