MORROW, Ga. – December 1, 2007 – Coming into Saturday’s game against visiting UNC-Pembroke, the Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team had some frustrations to unleash in the midst of a three-game losing skid. Unleashing the frustrations the Lakers did as Clayton State got back on the winning track with a convincing 76-45 rout over UNC-Pembroke in Peach Belt Conference action at the Athletics and Fitness Center.

The victory improves Clayton State to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Peach Belt Conference. Clayton State has now won 11 straight games against UNC-Pembroke in the series between the two teams, and the Braves have never won at the Athletics and Fitness Center.

The Lakers broke it open early in the first half, going on a tremendous 24-0 run over a 12-minute span. Michael Sloan started the rally with a driving lay-up off a fast break at the 14:57 mark, followed by two straight inside baskets by Brian Kelly. Tracy Williams then twice each from 3-point range, and Armel Traore Dit Nignan’s lay-up at the 4:11 mark made the Laker lead 30-4.

UNC-Pembroke converted only one of its first 20 field goal attempts for the game, and wen 14 minutes without a field goal until a lay-up by Jonathan Hart with 2:40 remaining made the Laker lead 33-9. Jordan Windisch’s 3-point basket, however, stretched the Clayton State to 36-11 with 1:36 remaining.

The Braves never got closer than 22 points in the second half, and Clayton State took its first 30-point lead 51-21 on a Sloan 3-point basket with 15:31 remaining. Four times in the second half, the Lakers led by 35 points, the last being 74-39 on a jump shot in the lane by Sloan with 4:01 remaining in the game.

After games of three points against USC-Aiken and four points against Georgia College, Sloan broke out of his funk in a big way. The senior scored a career-high 28 points and tied the Clayton State single-game record for 3-point baskets with six. Williams and Kelly each scored 12 points, while Williams also dished out eight assists and had five steals. Trey Goss added eight points for the Lakers.

For the game, Clayton State shot 47 percent from the field, and limited the Braves to only 28 percent shooting from the field, including only 19 percent (3-for-20) from 3-point range.

For UNC-Pembroke (3-2, 1-1 PBC), Demarcus Lyday scored 10 points, followed by Everett House with nine points and Hart added eight points.

Clayton State plays host to Carver on Wednesday in non-conference action at 7:30 p.m.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – November 28, 2007 – The Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team hit the road for the first time this 2007-08 season on Wednesday, aiming to snap a two-game losing skid at Peach Belt Conference rival Georgia College. However, the homestanding Bobcats had too much offensive firepower as Georgia College rolled past Clayton State 90-61 at the Centennial Center.

The defeat drops Clayton State to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Peach Belt. It’s the worst defeat for the Lakers since a 43-point defeat against Division II power Kentucky Wesleyan in 2000-01.

"These are characteristics of a young team that has to grow up fast," said Clayton State head coach Gordon Gibbons. "Georgia College was very efficient in its offensive sets and we made some mistakes in our press that led to too many easy baskets."

The first six minutes went exactly how Clayton State anticipated it. The Lakers got two 3-point baskets by Bernard Fields in the first six minutes to take a 16-3 lead at 15:27 mark. However, sparked by reserve guard Graham Martin, the Bobcats responded with a 13-0 themselves as Martin scored twice inside to tie the score 16-16 with 10:22 remaining.

The lead change hands four times before Georgia College finished the first half on a 13-4 run. Martin and Jay Warden each drained 3-point baskets to increase the Bobcat lead to 40-33 with 1:45 remaining, and another Warden 3-point basket gave Georgia College a 43-34 at halftime.

The closest Clayton State could trim the lead in the second half was seven points. Georgia College with a 16-0 run to basically put the game out of reach. Aaron Clark’s lay-up gave the Bobcats a 70-42 lead with 10:42 remaining.

Georgia College’s largest lead of the second half was 35 points, 89-54 with 5:20 remaining.

Junior forward Brian Kelly paced Clayton State with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Tracy Williams scored 10 points off the bench. Fields and Will Lewis each added nine points for the Lakers.

For Georgia College (4-0, 1-0 PBC), Martin scored 20 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range, followed by Shaun Keaton with 18 points on five 3-point baskets. Justin Brown scored 15 points off the bench, and Warden added 12 points. Georgia College shot 43 percent (15-for-35 from 3-point range.