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Lakers’ Wiles selected to play for Jamaica at Caribbean Games
Junior forward was All-Peach Belt Conference selection in 2005-06 for Clayton State

MORROW, Ga. --- MAY 8, 2006 --- As most of the Clayton State Laker women’s basketball players are preparing for different endeavors this summer, Sharon Wiles is preparing to represent her country in an elite event. Wiles, a 5-foot-9 wing/forward for Clayton State, was selected on Monday to play for her native Jamaica this summer in the Caribbean Games.

Wiles and her Jamaican national teammates will be one of the huge favorites in the Caribbean Games, which will be on July 13-22 in Kingston, JAM. The Caribbean Games is the preliminary event for the World Games next summer, which is the qualifier tournament for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

“We are very excited for Sharon that she will have an opportunity to represent her country this summer,” said Clayton State head coach Dennis Cox. “She already has represented Jamaica as one of the best netball players in the world, leading them to a world title in that sport, so it's neat that she will have an opportunity to try to do it again in the game of basketball.”

Transferring this past season from Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College, Wiles was an immediate impact for the Lakers as Clayton State finished 25-6 overall and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament for a second straight season. She averaged 13 points and five rebounds a game, while shooting 49 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line. 

Defense, however, was her forte. Wiles set a Clayton State single-season record for steals with 113, leading the Peach Belt Conference in that category. In addition, she was also ranked fourth in the nation in steals.

Wiles was selected first team All-Peach Belt Conference in the process.

“Sharon has only played basketball for the last three years, so this honor speaks volumes of her work ethic and commitment to becoming a great basketball player,” Cox said. “Selfishly, we are also very happy for the experience that she will get this summer training for and playing in this tournament.  It will only help us for next year, because the more experience she can get, the better player she will be for us.”

Clayton State season ends with heartbreaking loss to Wingate in South Atlantic Region semifinals 

Raleigh, NC --- March 11, 2006 --- The 22^nd-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team’s season came to an end Saturday in a heartbreaking loss, falling 67-64 to Wingate in the 2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional at host Shaw University’s Spaulding Gymnasium. 

Wingate’s Anna Atkinson drained a three-pointer with 15 seconds in the game to propel the Bulldogs to the victory. Her three-pointer gave Wingate a 65-62 lead and was her second of the game, both in the second half. The Bulldogs drained five three pointers in the second half after not hitting any in the first half. 

The Lakers responded on their ensuing possession, as Shelcey Harp was fouled on the baseline attempting a three-pointer to tie with less than seven seconds in the game. Harp hit two of the three free throws, pulling the Lakers to within a point, 65-64 but that was as close as the Lakers would come. 

Clayton State had to foul and after Atkinson missed the front-end of a 1-and-1, the Bulldogs got the rebound, forcing the Lakers to foul again. 

This time, Wingate’s Lakin Byer hit both free throws, her only two points of the game, giving the Bulldogs a 67-64 lead. The Lakers had one chance to tie the game with a three-pointer with six seconds remaining, but without any timeouts, the Lakers were unable to get a good look at the basket, as time expired. 

With the loss, the Clayton State season ends at 25-5, only the second time in school history the program has won 25 games and matching last year’s best. Wingate improves to the 25-5 and advances to the South Atlantic Regional final on Monday. 

Clayton State led 31-29 at intermission. The Lakers led by as many as five points, 37-32 in the second half with 17:33 remaining only to have Wingate battled back to take a six-point lead, 48-42, 12 minutes remaining. Neither team led by more than four points for last 11 minutes of the contest. 

The Lakers got off to a slow start with Wingate leading 23-14 with 6:20 in the first period. Clayton State closed the half with a 17-6 run to lead by two points at intermission. 

The stat sheet was as close as the game, as Clayton State and Wingate both had 24 field goals. The Lakers shot 38 percent from the floor compared to 44 percent for Wingate. Wingate hit 5-of-11 from three-point territory and 14-of-19 from the free throw line, while Clayton State hit 3-of-15  from three-point range and 13-of-18 free throws. 

Wingate edged Clayton State 14-13 offensive rebounds but Clayton State won the turnover battle committing only 11 compared to 19 for the Bulldogs. 

For Clayton State, Wiles finished with 20 points, hitting 9-of-12 from the floor. She asl had four rebounds and five steals. Patterson finished with 16 points and five rebounds, while Harp added 13 points and six boards and Alecia Humphrey chipped in 12 points. 

Wingate’s Tanetra Barrett finished with 19 points, eight rebounds followed by Atkinson with 12 points and five assists.

Clayton State women Advance 76-52 
in NCAA Region Tournament

Raleigh, N.C. -- March 10, 2006 -- The Clayton State women’s basketball team opened play in the 2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Friday, clobbering Johnson C. Smith 76-52 at host Shaw University’s Spaulding Gymnasium.

Clayton State, the No. 3 seed in the Region, raced out to an early lead and never looked back, jumping out to a double-digit 18-7 advantage in the first five minutes of the opening half. The Lakers took a 20-point lead on the second of two free throws by All-Region forward Jasmine Patterson with 12:24 remaining in the half.

With the win, Clayton State advances to the South Atlantic Region semifinals for the second straight year.  The Lakers will face South Atlantic Conference champion and No. 2 seed Wingate University on Saturday at 3 p.m. Wingate advanced with a 67-59 win on Friday over USC Upstate.

All-Region forward Shelcey Harp was the catalyst of the first half run, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the period. Patterson and Crystal Brown also finished with nine points in the period.

The Lakers took a 29-point advantage, 45-19, with 5:17 remaining in the opening period on a three-pointer by Carlie Anderson. JCSU, the No. 6 seed, closed the period with a 5-0 stretch and trailed 47-24 at halftime.

“We came out with a lot of intensity and shot the ball well early in the game,” said head coach Dennis Cox. “They got off to a slow start…we had not played them this season and I would like to think they weren’t accustomed to the type of pressure that we like to apply.”

The difference in the game was field shooting.  Clayton State held J.C. Smith to 22 percent (8-of-35) from the floor and 28 percent (18-of-64) for the game, tying the second lowest of any opponent this year. The Lakers hit 48 percent (28-of-58) from the floor, its third highest of the season.

Clayton State improves to 25-5 on the year, while J.C. Smith season ends with a 20-11 mark. The win was a milestone for Cox, his 50^th career victory at Clayton State.

“Wingate has a very good team,” said Cox. “They dominated the South Atlantic Conference this season. They are big, skilled and smart … a solid team and we will have our work cut out for us.”

In the second half Friday, Clayton State led by at least 22 points for the entire 20 minutes of the period.

Harp and Brown each finished with 17 points for the Lakers, while Patterson chipped in 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Harp also led the team on the boards with seven rebounds to go along with five assists and two blocks. Brown pulled six boards for the club.

For J.C. Smith, Shemika Jones finished with 17 points, followed Tiana Pope with 11 points and Janai Jackson with 10 points.

Clayton State women’s team has trio named to 2005-06 All-Peach Belt squad 

Morrow, GA --- March 7, 2005 --- For the second year in a row, the Clayton State women’s basketball team had a trio of players named to the Peach Belt All-Conference team. 

Seniors Shelcey Harp and Jasmine Patterson were named to the All-Peach Belt squad last week for the second straight season, while junior Sharon Wiles was named to the All-Peach Belt team for the first time. 

All three players finished the season, averaging 13 points per game, the most of any Laker this season. Harp, a 5-11 senior from College Park, GA, was the team’s top rebounder at eight boards per game, followed by Patterson, a 5-10 forward from Leesburg, FL, with seven rebounds per contest. 

Patterson led the team in assists with 88 on the season and was second in steals, while Harp had a team-leading 50 blocks and ranked third on the squad in assists and steals. 

Wiles, a 5-9 forward from Kingston, Jamaica, led the Peach Belt in steals and ranks among the national leaders in the category. Her 102 steals has already set a new Clayton State single season mark. She also led the team in field goal percentage, hitting 48 percent from the floor on the year. 

In addition to being named to the All-Conference team, Harp was selected to the All-Tournament Sunday after finishing with 15 points in the team’s tournament loss to GC&SU in the PBC semifinals. 

The Clayton State women are gearing up for a trip later this week to the 2006 NCAA Division II National Championships. The Lakers were one of 64-teams selected to play in the tournament and will travel to Shaw University in Raleigh, NC, for games in the South Atlantic Regional.

Clayton State will face Johnson C. Smith, a team that finished first in the Western Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) with a 20-10 record. The first round of the tournament will begin on Friday, March 10^th, followed by the semifinals on Saturday and regional final on Monday, March 13^th. 

#19 Clayton State upset by GC&SU 67-61 in PBC Tournament semifinals Sat.

Greenwood, SC --- March 4, 2006 --- The 19^th -ranked Clayton State University women’s basketball team hopes of returning to the Peach Belt Conference Championships were squashed Saturday as the Lakers were upset 67-61 in the semifinals of the tournament hosted by Lander University in Greenwood, SC.

After leading 34-31 at halftime, the Lakers went cold in the second half, hitting only 27 percent (9-of-33) from the field. Clayton State’s Shelcey Harp opened the second half with a basket to give the Lakers a five-point advantage, but GC&SU went on an 8-1 run and took a three-point lead, 40-37, with 16 minutes left.

GC&SU maintained its lead for the remainder of the game but did have to fend off a couple of Clayton State runs. The Lakers cut the Bobcat lead to a single point, 50-49 on a three-pointer by Harp with 9:54 remaining.

The Bobcats answered though over the next five minutes and pushed its lead to eight points with 5:32 remaining on a three-pointer by Christina Royster. Clayton State made one last run in the final three minutes with Harp hitting two free throws with 41 seconds left to cut the deficit to four points, 63-59 but that was as close as the Lakers would come. GC&SU’s Lindsey Smith hit 4-of-4 from the free throw line to seal the victory.

“There’s not a team in this league that has enough talent to just show up and win,” said head coach Dennis Cox. “You’ve got to be prepared to battle. Overall, they out-hustled us and out-worked us. They deserved to win.”

The Lakers jumped out to a quick seven-point lead only to have GC&SU come back to tie the score at nine apiece. Neither team led by more than five points for the remainder of the period.

The Lakers fall to 24-5 on the year, while GC&SU improves to 16-13 on the season and the Tournament Championship at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Despite the loss in the tournament, the Lakers are expected to receive a bid to the NCAA Division II National Championships for the second straight year, as the Lakers entered the tournament as the South Atlantic Region’s No. 1 ranked team. The 64-team field and the regional sites will be announced on Sunday night.

Clayton State shot only 34 percent (22-of-64) from the floor, while the Bobcats hit 37 percent (21-of-57) from the floor. Clayton State outrebounded GC&SU 44-41 but did have 15 turnovers compared to 10 by the Lady Bobcats.

For Clayton State, Harp finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, followed by Jasmine Patterson with 11 points and nine boards. Sharon Wiles chipped in 10 points to go along with six rebounds.  

#19 Clayton State opens PBC Tournament

with 57-46 win over Augusta State Thurs.

Greenwood, SC --- March 2, 2006 --- The 19^th -ranked Clayton State University women’s basketball team took its first step in defense of its 2005 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship, downing Augusta State 57-46 in the quarterfinals of the event Thursday hosted by Lander University in Greenwood, SC.

Senior Carlie Anderson sparked the Lakers to the victory, hitting four three-pointers in the first half, as the Lakers took control of the contest. Anderson drained a trio of long-range shots in a four-minute stretch. Her third three-pointer came with 8:27 remaining in the first half and gave the squad a 20-7 lead with 8:27 remaining.

Anderson closed out the Clayton State scoring at the end of the first half hitting her fourth three-pointer with 58 seconds remaining, giving the squad an 18-point lead. Augusta’s Jamica Wyatt answered with a basket to cut the deficit to 36-20 at intermission.

“We relieved to get past them,” said head coach Dennis Cox. “They beat us last time we played and had a great second half today. We knew they had the formula to beat us.

 “Everyone but Carlie had an off-night shooting, but we turned in a tremendous defensive effort. We can have an off-night shooting, if we play defense. “Carlie’s play was huge. She put us in position to win, hitting some big shots in the middle of the first period.”

Said Anderson, “I have to credit my teammates. They found me when I was open and did a good job getting me the ball when I was hot.”

On the defensive end, Clayton State held the Jaguars to 20 points in the first half, and for the game, held the Jaguars to 36 percent (16-of-45) shooting from the floor, forcing 26 turnovers.

In the second half, Augusta State cut the Laker lead to 12 points a couple of times early but was never able to trim the lead to single digits. Sharon Wiles played a key role in keeping the Jaguars out of striking range, scoring all 10 of her points. She had four steals in the period and a couple of them led to easy fast-break baskets. 

Along with Anderson’s 12 points, Patterson also finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Senior Shelcey Harp added eight points, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Wiles had 10 points and six steals, while Crystal Brown had eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.

For Augusta State, Eva Vodrazkova and Shirrell Ford each scored 10 points.

Harp named Peach Belt Conference 
Player of the Week

Morrow, GA – February 27, 2006 --- For the second time this season, Clayton State women’s basketball standout Shelcey Harp has been named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week.  

Harp received the honor after the Lakers swept through Peach Belt play with three victories last week, defeating Columbus State, North Georgia and Francis Marion. Harp hit one the team’s biggest shots of the season last Wednesday, draining an overtime game-winner in the final seconds to hand North Georgia its first Peach Belt Conference loss of the season.  

She sparkled in the win, scoring 16 points to go along with seven boards, six blocks and four steals. Harp followed up that game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four assists against Francis Marion, including two free throws in the final 12 seconds sealing the one-point Laker victory.   

Currently, she ranks 10th in scoring, eighth in rebounding and sixth in blocked shots in the Peach Belt. She averages a team-leading 13 points and eight rebounds per game.  

Clayton State closed its regular season with a 23-4 overall record on the season and 17-3 in Peach Belt play. After winning the 2004-05 Peach Belt Championship last year, the Lakers placed second this season. Its 23 wins come on the heels of last year’s 25-win campaign, the only two 20-win seasons in school history.  

As the second place team in the regular season PBC standings, Clayton State will enter this week’s PBC Tournament as the top seed, since regular season champion North Georgia, in its first season at the NCAA Division II level, is not eligible to play in the tournament this year.  

The Lakers’ first step in defending their 2005 Tournament Championship, hosted by Lander University, will begin on Thursday in Greenwood, SC. Clayton State receives a bye in the first round of the event and will be play the winner of the Augusta State and USC Aiken, the eighth and ninth seeds at 1 p.m. 

Strong second half lifts Clayton State women 
to 68-67 win on Saturday at Francis Marion 

Florence, SC – February 25, 2006 --- Trailing by 14 points early in the second half, the 21^st-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball rallied and avoided an upset, knocking off Francis Marion 68-67 in its Peach Belt Conference regular season finale at the Smith University Center in Florence, SC. 

The Lakers opened the second half with a 13-0 run to get back into the game. Crystal Brown opened the half with four of her team-high 19 points, followed by Teri Willis draining a three-pointer to cut the deficit to seven, 46-39, with 17:38 left. Two free throws by Sharon Wiles, another basket by Brown and a jumper by Carlie Anderson pulled the Lakers to within a point with 14:09 left.  

Neither team led by more than three points for the next nine minutes until Francis Marion went on a mini-run and took a six-point advantage, 60-54, on a three-pointer by Brittany Young. Clayton State remained within striking distance over the next three minutes and tied the game at 64 apiece on 1-of-2 free throws by Brown with 2:28 remaining.  

After a FMU miss, Brown gave the Lakers a two-point lead, 66-64, on a layup with 1:42 left. Francis Marion had its chances to retake the lead on its ensuing possession but missed three straight shots and then the front-end of a 1-and-1. Shelcey Harp sealed the victory for Clayton State hitting two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to give the squad a four-point lead. 

Francis Marion’s Renee Guilliams drained a three-pointer in the closing seconds to cut the lead to a point and after a Clayton State turnover, the Patriots had one shot to claim the victory, but a Katherine Kiefer shot missed the mark.  

With the win, Clayton State improves to 23-4 overall on the season and 17-3 in Peach Belt Conference play. Francis Marion drops to 11-15 overall and 9-11 in the league. The Clayton State win keeps alive its impressive Peach Belt road winning streak, pushing its streak to 15 straight on the road. The Lakers have not lost a road PBC game in over a year and will enter next season riding the streak.  

As the second place in the regular season PBC standings, Clayton State will enter next week’s PBC Tournament as the top seed, since regular season champion North Georgia, in its first season at the NCAA Division II level, is not eligible to play in the tournament this year. The Lakers’ first step in defending their 2005 Tournament Championship, hosted by Lander University, will begin on Thursday in Greenwood, SC. Clayton State receives a bye in the first round of the event and will be play the winner of the Augusta State and USC Aiken, the eighth and ninth seeds. 

For the second straight game, Brown led the Lakers with 19 points, followed by Harp with 14 points, Wiles and Jasmine Patterson chipped 12 and 11 points, respectively. Harp led the way with 10 boards, followed by seven each for Wiles and Brown. Wiles also picked off a game-high seven steals.  

Francis Marion was led by Kirby Marsh with 22 points, followed by Danielle Moore with 20 points and six steals. Shonelle Downer added 10 points and pulled nine boards.  

Last second shot by Harp lifts #21 Clayton State women to 76-75 overtime win over North Georgia 

Dahlonega, GA – February 22, 2006 --- The North Georgia College & State University women's basketball team has already clinched the 2005 Peach Belt Conference regular season championship, but thanks to a heroic effort Wednesday by the 21st-ranked Clayton State women the squad won't go undefeated in PBC play.

The Laker women's squad spoiled an undefeated Peach Belt season for the Saints in their inaugural season, defeating North Georgia 76-75 in overtime Wednesday in Dahlonega. The win snapped a 15-game North Georgia winning streak and handed the squad its first PBC loss in 19 games. The Clayton State win kept alive its impressive Peach Belt road winning streak, pushing its streak to 14 straight on the road. The Lakers have not lost a road PBC game in over a year.

 Clayton State senior Shelcey Harp was the hero Wednesday, hitting a jumper with five seconds remaining in overtime to lift the squad to the one-point win. North Georgia had one last attempt but a shot by rolled out. The basket put an exclamation point on a monster game by Harp. She finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and four steals. 

The lead swapped hands four times in overtime and the Lakers got big baskets by a trio of players. Harp and Crystal Brown each had four points in the stanza, while Sharon Wiles had a lay-in. Brown also a crucial offensive rebound with under 40 seconds left to setup the game-winning shot.

Trailing by three points with 3:07 remaining in regulation, Clayton State reeled off six unanswered points and appeared to be poised to win in regulation. A basket by Brown, followed by a basket and two free throws from Teri Willis gave the Lakers a 66-63 advantage with 54 seconds left. North Georgia’s Katie Williamson drained a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.  

With the win, Clayton State improves to 22-4 on the season and 16-3 in Peach Belt play. North Georgia drops to 22-4 and 18-1 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face Francis Marion in their Peach Belt regular season finale.  

Clayton State, with its second place finish in the league, has already secured the No. 1 seed in next week’s 2006 Peach Belt Conference Championships, since North Georgia, in its first season at the NCAA Division II level, is not eligible to play in the tournament this year. The Lakers’ first step in defending their 2005 Tournament Championship will begin on Thursday of next week at the PBC Tournament at Lander. 

Clayton State fell behind early in Wednesday’s contest and trailed by as many as 13 points with 6:58 remaining in the first period. The Lakers battled back though with a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 31-28 at intermission. Neither team led by more than four points for the final 18 minutes of the game.  

Brown led Clayton State with 19 points, hitting 8-of-13 from the floor, while Cynthia Conseil added 11 points. Wiles and Willis each chipped in 10.  

#22 Clayton State women defeat rival Columbus 74-63 on ‘Senior Night’

Morrow, GA ---- The Clayton State 22^nd-ranked women’s basketball team pulled out a close one Monday, defeating Peach Belt Conference Columbus State 74-63 on “Senior Night,” but the men’s team wasn’t as lucky, falling in a heartbreaker in overtime. 

Leading by four points with 1:41 remaining, the Laker women closed the game with an 8-1 run to capture the victory. Sharon Wiles was key in the run, scoring six of the eight points. She ignited the run with a basket at the 1:34 mark and gave the squad a nine-point lead, 72-63, with 56 seconds to play. Alecia Humphrey capped the run in the final seconds to seal the victory. 

Clayton State trailed most of the first half and 36-30 at intermission. Columbus’ Tabasha Taylor gave the Cougars a six-point lead at intermission on a three-pointer at the top of the key at the buzzer. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 21-4 on the season and 15-3 in the Peach Belt. Columbus State drops to 15-14 on the year and 8-11 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday at North Georgia. 

#22 Clayton State women romp UNC Pembroke 66-29;
capture 20^th en route to Peach Belt record 

Pembroke, NC – The 22nd-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team held UNC Pembroke to a Peach Belt Conference record low 29 points Saturday and captured its 20^th victory in crushing fashion, downing the Braves 66-29 in league action.  

Along with shattering the PBC record for the fewest points allowed, previously set in 1997 when Armstrong State scored only 33 against Francis Marion, the Lakers also tied the Peach Belt Conference record by allowing only 11 points in the first half. Clayton State’s smothering defense held the Braves to only 20 percent shooting from the field, hitting 13-of-59 shots, including only 16 percent (5-of-31) in the first period. 

Clayton State, on the other hand, matched its top shooting performances of the season, resulting in the blowout victory. The Lakers hit 49 percent (27-of-55) from the floor for the game, including 41 percent (9-of-22) from three-point land. The field goal percentage matched a season best set earlier this season at Augusta State.  

The win improves Clayton State to 20-4 on the season, its second straight 20-win year. The Lakers improve to 14-3 in Peach Belt play, sewing up at least a second place finish in the conference regular season standings and the top seed in the upcoming 2006 Peach Belt Conference Tournament, since conference leader North Georgia, in its first season at the NCAA Division II level, is not eligible for the conference tournament this season. UNCP drops to 14-10 and 9-8 in league play. 

Clayton State led from the opening tip in Saturday’s game, jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead in the first five mintues, thanks to a couple of three pointers by Jasmine Patterson. Clayton State kept up the scoring barrage and took its first double-digit lead, 16-4, with 12:27 remaining on a three-pointer by Teri Willis.  

Both teams swapped baskets for the next five minutes before the Lakers picked up the defensive intensity over the final seven minutes of the period and took a commanding lead. Clayton State outscored UNCP 13-0 to close the period and took a 32-11 lead at intermission. Crystal Brown ignited and closed the run with two baskets, and her jumper with 1:06 remaining gave the squad its first 20-point lead of the day.  

In the second half, Clayton State led by at least 20 points for the entire period. A three-point play with 7:29 remaining by Shelcey Harp gave the Lakers a 32-point advantage, 55-23. Five minutes later Kim Lloyd extended the lead to a game-high 35 points, 64-29, with 2:35 left.  

Clayton State had a balanced attack with five players with eight or more points. Harp led the way with 13 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Patterson with eight points. Willis added nine on a trio of three-pointers and Brown and Sharon Wiles each chipped in eight.  

UNC Pembroke was led by Natasha Stotler with 10 points.

 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 the Clayton State, and the Lakers will recognize four seniors in Carlie Anderson, Cynthia Conseil, Shelcey Harp and Jasmine Patterson.  

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

Clayton State will face off against a Columbus State team that is 15-13 overall and 8-10 in the league. The Cougars are coming off a 68-61 loss on Saturday to Francis Marion in PBC action. Clayton State defeated Columbus two weeks ago in Columbus behind a season high 25 points from Wiles. Patterson also 21 points in the win.  

#18 Clayton State women complete season sweep of USC Aiken; defeat Pacers 60-56 in Peach Belt action Saturday 

Morrow, GA – A 9-0 run over a three-minute stretch late in the second half lifted the 18^th-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team to a 60-56 Peach Belt Conference victory over the University of South Carolina Aiken at the Athletics & Fitness Center Saturday.  

The Lakers trailed 50-49 with 6:35 remaining before squad went on the game-deciding run. Six straight points by Sharon Wiles ignited the run, as Wiles hit four straight free throws, followed by picking off a pass that led to another basket. A free throw by Crystal Brown and two by Shelcey Harp capped the run, giving the squad a 58-50 advantage with 3:52 left.  

USCA closed the game with four unanswered points but could com no closer, as the Laker defense denied the Pacers on a trio of shot attempts in the final minute of the game.  

The Pacers led 37-31 at intermission until CSU went on a 12-2 run in the opening six minutes of the period. Brown sparked the run with six points in the stretch and a jumper by Jasmine Patterson gave the Lakers 43-39 lead with 13:42 left. Clayton State held a slim lead for all but one possession when the game was tied at 45 until the Pacers took their 50-49 advantage.  

In the first half, USCA took its largest lead of eight points, 28-20 on a layup by Jordon Thomas. The Pacers led the final eight minutes of the period. The contest was similar to the Laker win at Aiken, as the Pacers also led at intermission in that contest before Clayton State rallied to outscore USCA 49-26 and cruise to the victory.  

With the win, Clayton State improves to 19-4 on the season and 13-3 in the Peach Belt Conference. The Pacers drop to 8-14 on the year and 4-11 in the league. CSU will return to action on Saturday, February 18^th, traveling to UNC Pembroke.  

Brown led the Lakers with 17 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Shelcey Harp with 11 points and seven boards. Jasmine Patterson chipped in 10 points and had four steals. 

For USC Aiken, Satu Leppanen led the way with 14 points and six rebounds, followed by Meredith Legg with 10 points and 10 boards. Avonte Williams also had 10 points.  

#18 Clayton State upset 79-74 in overtime by Peach Belt Conference foe Augusta State Wednesday 

Morrow, GA – The 18^th-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team let one slip away Wednesday, falling in an overtime heartbreaker 79-74 to Augusta State University in Peach Belt Conference basketball action at the Athletics & Fitness Center.  

Leading by seven points, 70-63, with a minute in the game, Augusta State reeled off seven straight points tie the game at 70 and send the contest into overtime. Augusta’s Lauren DeCoud drained a three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining to tie the score. Clayton State led the final nine minutes before the Jaguars went on the late 7-0 run.  

In overtime, Clayton State scored the first basket only to have the Jaguars score five straight points and take a four-point lead with 1:54 remaining on a three-pointer by Shirrell Ford. Clayton State cut the deficit to three points on a free throw by Sharon Wiles only to have Ford answer with another basket with 1:17 remaining.  

The Lakers’ Alecia Humphrey answered with a basket with a minute remaining to cut the deficit to three points before Augusta’s Sonya Jackson hit two free throws with 28 seconds remaining to seal the victory, two of her team-high 19 points.  

With the win, Clayton State drops to 18-4 on the season and 12-3 in the Peach Belt action, while Augusta State improves to 9-14 on the year and 4-10 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, hosting USC Aiken, and Augusta will host Columbus State on Saturday.  

Despite fouling out in regulation, Shelcey Harp led the Lakers with a game-high 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. Wiles finished with 20 points, six rebounds and five steals. Patterson chipped in 11 points.  

Behind Jackson’s 19 points, four assists and three steals, DeCoud had 16 points, followed by Ford with 15 points and a game-high 12 boards. Eva Vodrazkova added 12 points and four assists. 

#18 Clayton State women win for first time at Columbus State; improve to 18-3 on season; to host Augusta State Wed. 

Columbus, GA – The 18^th-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team turned in a “first” Monday night at Columbus State, defeating the Cougar women for the first time in school history in Columbus. The Lakers downed the Cougars 86-81 to move to 18-3 on the season and 13-2 in the Peach Belt Conference standings. 

Clayton State never trailed in the game, leading by as many as 13 points in both halves of play. The Lakers carried a 46-36 lead into the break and would keep a margin of at least seven points for the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Cougars mounted a charge, cutting a 62-49 lead with 11:23 to play all the way to just 65-63 with 7:38 remaining. 

But Clayton State held on and a  Shelcey Harp jumper with 45 seconds left gave the Lady Lakers a 79-75 lead, followed by a Sharon Wiles lay-up with 12 seconds left iced the game. 

Wiles paced the Clayton State offense with 25 points on the night, hitting 9-15 shots overall and going 7-9 at the free-throw line. Jasmine Patterson canned five of eight three-point shots and finished with 21 points, while Harp finished with 11 points. Harp and Wiles led the Lakers in rebounding with seven each. Clayton State shot 44 percent overall in the game and 42 percent from three-point range. 

Karina Pulici went 5-11 from three-point range and tallied 19 total points to go with eight rebounds to lead Columbus (12-11, 5-8). Cherwonna Walker added 16 points and eight boards, while the Cougars got 12 and 10 points respectively from Erica Jones and Erin Gibbs. Columbus State shot 41 percent overall and 44 percent from three-point range. 

The game was the first meeting between the two clubs since last year’s Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship thriller that saw the Lakers prevail in overtime. Before Clayton State’s win at Columbus tonight, the Laker women’s program was 0-9 at Columbus. 

#18 Clayton State opens second half with 15-1 run to defeat USC Upstate 74-63; to play at Columbus State on Mon. 

Spartanburg, SC – February 4, 2006 --- The 18^th-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball came out of the locker room with a 15-1 second half run to lead the Lakers to a 74-63 win Saturday over USC Upstate at the G.B. Hodge Center. 

Leading 36-34 at intermission, Clayton State rattled off two quick baskets in the opening 30 seconds of the period, the second off a steal and lay-in by Sharon Wiles, giving the squad a 40-34 advantage. After a free by Upstate’s Yakeeshia Ross, the Lakers scored 11 unanswered points and never looked back. 

Alecia Humphrey ignited the run with two free throws and a basket, followed by a three-pointer by Basia Bukowska, giving the squad a 47-35 lead with 17:02 remaining. A basket by Jasmine Patterson, followed by layup by a Sharon Wiles capped the run, giving the squad control of the contest at the 13:48 mark with a 16-point, 51-35 lead. 

USC Upstate cut the deficit to seven points on a couple of occasions over the next eight minutes until Clayton State went on an 8-0 run over a two minute stretch with five minutes left. A jumper by Jasmine Patterson gave the Lakers a 74-57 lead with 3:38 remaining. 

With the win, Clayton State, in second place in the Peach Belt, improved to 17-3 on the season and 11-2 in the league. The road victory was the Lakers 11^th straight Peach Belt road victory, dating back to last season. USC Upstate drops to 11-9 on the year and 8-5 in the league. The Lakers will return to action on Monday, traveling to face Columbus State in a 5:30 p.m. contest. 

In the first half, Clayton State trailed in the opening 15 minutes until closing the period on a flurry. Down 24-22 with 5:23 remaining, the Lakers went on a 12-5 run and took a 34-29 lead with 2:28 on a three-pointer by Shelcey Harp. USC Upstate answered and a three-pointer by Upstate’s Kristen Metcalf cut the Laker lead to 35-34. CSU’s Crystal Brown hit 1-of-2 free throws give the squad a two-point lead at intermission. 

Wiles led the Lakers with 16 points and four steals, while Harp chipped in 14 points. Patterson finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Humphrey with 10 points. 

For Upstate, Ross led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Metcalf with 13 points and six boards. 

#18 Clayton State wins fifth-straight; downs Lander 64-45 in PBC action 

Morrow, GA --- February 1, 2006 --- The 18^th-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team picked up its fifth-straight win on Wednesday, defeating Lander 64-45 in Peach Belt Conference action at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

In a tightly fought first half, the Lakers broke away from the Bearcats with a 20-3 run over an eight-minute stretch. Lander led 15-13 on a jumper by Jennifer Hukill, two of her game-high 21 points. 

Clayton State answered though, reeling off 16 unanswered points in a six-minute stretch. Crystal Brown capped the run, hitting two free throws to give the club a 29-15 lead with 5:08 left. Shelcey Harp later gave the Lakers a 15-point advantage, 33-18, on a jumper with 4:15 remaining. 

Two free throws by Shatora Irby in the final seconds of the period cut the Laker lead to 38-25 at intermission. 

The Lakers started the second half cold, missing their first seven shots before junior Basia Bukowska and senior Carlie Anderson went on a 3-point shooting barrage to open up the game. Bukowska connected on three shots from downtown and Carlie added one from beyond the arc as the Lakers took a 50-32 lead with 11:35 remaining. 

The Laker lead grew to a game high 24 points on a jumper by senior Cynthia Conseil at the 4:56 mark, 60-36, as the Bearcats were held to only two shot attempts over a five-minute stretch. 

Leading the Lakers in scoring and rebounding was junior Crystal Brown who finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Bukowska had 11 points and six assists off the bench. Seniors Shelcey Harp and Jasmine Patterson each added eight points and Harp had eight boards. 

Behind Hukill’s 21 points, fellow sophomore Irby contributed 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds. 

The Lakers shot 34 percent (27-80) versus the Bearcats 37 percent (17-46). Clayton State outrebounded Lander 49-35 and committed only 13 turnovers on the game to the Bearcats 28. 

Clayton State women’s basketball climbs to 
18^th in nation; Lakers to host Lander on Wednesday 

Morrow, GA --- January 31, 2006 --- The Clayton State women’s basketball team jumped among the nation’s top-20 NCAA Division II teams on Tuesday. 

After winning four straight and 13 of its last 15 games, the Laker women have climbed to 18^th in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) USA Today/ESPN Top-25 poll released Tuesday, the fourth straight week the team has been in the rankings. Washburn, out of Kansas, is the nation’s top-ranked team with a 20-0 record. 

Clayton State will put that national ranking on the line Wednesday, hosting Lander University in Peach Belt Conference action. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. at the Athletics & Fitness Center. General admission is $5 and faculty, staff and students are admitted free with their Laker Card.  

Clayton State enters the game with a 15-3 overall record and a 9-2 mark in the Peach Belt. Clayton State, in second place two games behind North Georgia and two games ahead of third place teams USC Upstate and UNC Pembroke, won three games last week, including a 78-59 victory at Lander. Crystal Brown had a season high 19 points in the win over the Bearcats.  

Lander will enter Wednesday’s game with a 4-13 overall record and a 0-10 mark in the Peach Belt. The Bearcats lost 74-59 on Saturday to Francis Marion despite Jennifer Hukill’s 23 points. Against Clayton State, LU’s Shatora Irby finished with 15 points. 

The Lakers are coming off a 68-62 win on Saturday  over GC&SU behind 18 points from Brown. Clayton State leads in the all-time series 6-4 and has won the last three against Lander. 

  Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) USA Today/ESPN Top-25

Dropped Out: Valdosta State University (Ga.), Fairmont State University (W.Va.).

Clayton State captures 15^th victory with 68-62 win over Peach Belt foe GC&SU 

Milledgeville, GA --- January 28, 2006 --- For the second time in the last three games, Clayton State’s Crystal Brown came off the bench to spark the Lakers to a Peach Belt Conference victory. 

This time it was on the road against Georgia College & State University, as the Lakers defeated the Bobcats 68-62 behind a game-high 18 points from Brown. Earlier in the week, she registered a season-high 19 points on the road at Lander. 

Trailing 54-52 with 8:08 remaining, 22^nd-ranked Clayton State went on a 10-2 run in just over three minutes to take control of the contest. A basket by Sharon Wiles evened the score, followed by Brown draining four straight free throws to give the club a 58-54 lead with 7:18 remaining. 

After two free throws by GC&SU’s Cassie Miliner, the Lakers answered with two baskets by Wiles, giving the squad a 62-56 lead with 4:19 remaining. Clayton Sate then held the Bobcats to only one field goal in more than three minutes and hit six-of-eight free throws to seal the victory. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 15-3 on the season and 9-2 in the Peach Belt, keeping its firm hold on second place in the league. GC&SU drops to 9-9 on the season and 4-7 in the PBC. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Lander in a 5:30 p.m. game. 

Clayton State led by 10 points in the first half, 27-17, on a three-pointer by Cynthia Conseil and later pushed its lead to a game-high 13 points, 38-25, on the second of two free throws by Tracey Browne with 3:28 remaining. The Bobcats closed the half with an 8-2 run to trail 40-33 at intermission.  

Behind Brown’s 18 points, which included 12-of-14 from the free throw line, the Lakers had two players with nine points in Shelcey Harp and Wiles. Harp also finished with 10 boards, while Wiles had six rebounds and four assists. 

For GC&SU, Miliner finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Ashley Williams added 11 points and nine boards for the Bobcats. 

Clayton State finished the game, shooting 35 percent (19-of-54) from the floor, while GC&SU hit 31 percent (19-of-62). The Lakers were outrebounded 46-43 but did win the battle on the offensive boards 23-20. Each team committed 20 turnovers.

 Late second half run seals 78-60 victory for Clayton State over Armstrong State in Peach Belt women’s action Wed. 

Morrow, GA – January 25, 2006 --- A 14-2 run late in the second half sealed an 18-point Peach Belt Conference victory for Clayton State, as the Lakers defeated Armstrong Atlantic State 78-60 at the Athletics & Fitness Center Wednesday. 

Leading 57-49 with 10:08 remaining, Tracey Browne ignited the game-deciding run with two free throws, followed by a three pointer from Teri Willis, giving the squad a 13-point, 62-49 lead. After two free throws from AASU’s Audosha Kelley, Willis drained another three-pointer to give the squad 14-point lead with 8:21 remaining. 

Two Clayton State free throws and then a basket by Alecia Humphrey capped the run, pushing the Laker lead to 20 points, 71-51, with 5:04 remaining. Armstrong cut the deficit to 16 points on one occasion in the final four minutes but could come no closer. Browne gave the Lakers a 21-point lead with a basket in the paint with 2:04 left. 

Armstrong led much of the first half and a Kelley basket at the 9:27 mark gave the Pirates a 21-17 advantage. Clayton State answered over the next five minutes with a 14-3 stretch to take a 31-24 lead. After both teams swapped baskets in the next few minutes, Clayton State closed the half with five straight points, including a three-pointer by Shelcey Harp to give the squad 43-32 lead at intermission. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 14-3 overall on the season and 8-2 in the league, maintaining its hold on second place in the Peach Belt. Armstrong State drops to 8-9 overall and 3-7 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face GC&SU, and Armstrong State will host Columbus State on Saturday. 

Wiles led the Lakers with one of her most complete games of the season, totaling 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Harp added 13 points and pulled eight rebounds, while Willis chipped in 11 points. Jasmine Patterson finished with eight points, nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks. 

For Armstrong State, Kelley finished with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Kaneetha Gordon had 15 points and 10 boards. 

Clayton State rolls to 78-59 Peach Belt win over Lander in Peach Belt action 

Greenwood, SC --- January 23, 2006 --- Clayton State’s Crystal Brown scored a season high 19 points, and the defense forced Lander into 37 turnovers, as Lakers rolled to a 78-59 win Monday in Peach Belt Conference action in Greenwood, SC. 

Leading by five points with 10:22 remaining in the game, Clayton State went on a 19-5 run to seal the victory. Brown scored six points in the run, while Sharon Wiles had four, including a steal and layup with 3:56 remaining to cap the run and give the Lakers a 19-point advantage, 71-52. 

After both teams swapped baskets, Clayton State pushed its lead to a game-high 21 points, 76-55 on another basket by Wiles and led by at least 18 points for the final three minutes of the game. 

In the first half, Clayton State took its first double-digit lead, thanks to a 13-0 run with 6:51 remaining. The Lakers led 20-18 before scoring 13 unanswered points, and Wiles and Brown were again the catalysts in the run with six and four points, respectively. Wiles capped the run with a basket at the 4:38 mark, giving the Lakers a 33-18 advantage. CSU led 40-29 at intermission. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 13-3 on the season and 7-2 in the Peach Belt, while Lander drops 4-11 overall and 0-8 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Armstrong State in a 5:30 p.m. contest at the Athletics & Fitness Center. 

Brown’s 19 points came on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, and she also pulled five boards. Wiles chipped in 14 points and picked off four more steals to increase her Peach Belt lead in the category. 

Senior Shelcey Harp finished with 12 points, while senior Carlie Anderson and junior Alecia Humphrey each added 11 points. Humphrey also pulled 11 rebounds and Harp had nine boards. 

For Lander, Shatora Irby finished with 15 points, followed by Tara Nyikavaranda with 12 points and 13 boards. Shaquanta Glazed chipped in 10 points. 

Clayton State keeps grip of second spot in Peach Belt with 60-47 win Saturday over Francis Marion 

Morrow, GA – January 21, 2006 --- In a battle to remain in the Peach Belt Conference’s second spot, the 21^st-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team closed out Saturday’s game against Francis Marion with a 10-0 run, en route to a 60-47 victory at the Athletics & Fitness. 

Leading 50-47 with 3:54 remaining, junior Teri Willis ignited the run with her fourth three-pointer of the game.  A free throw by Sharon Wiles, followed by a lay-in by junior Crystal Brown gave the Lakers a 56-47 lead with 1:19 remaining. A basket by Wiles and a layup by Brown in the final minute sealed the victory for Clayton State. 

The contest was a defensive struggle with both teams, flexing their muscles on the defensive end. Clayton State held Francis Marion to 33 percent (17-of-52), while the Patriots held Clayton State to 32 percent (18-of-57). FMU finished with 19 turnovers compared to 15 for the Lakers. 

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

Clayton State led the entire second half but did have to fend off a couple of runs by the Patriots. With the Lakers leading by 10 points, 41-31, with 10:53 left, Francis Marion went on a 10-3 over the next four minutes and a jumper by Kirby Marsh cut the deficit to three points, 44-41. 

CSU pushed its lead back to seven points in the next few minutes on a layup by Wiles only to have FMU’s comeback with four straight points by Katherine Kiefer, cutting the deficit to three points, 50-47, setting up Clayton State game-deciding run over the final 3:54 of the game. 

The Lakers led 30-23 at halftime and only trailed one time in the game when Kiefer hit two free throws, giving the Patriots a 23-22 lead with 3:23 remaining in the first half. Clayton State biggest lead was the 13-point advantage at the final buzzer. 

Willis led Clayton State with 12 points and also had four steals and four rebounds to lead the way. Junior Tracey Browne finished with a season high 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Wiles had 11 points and four steals, adding to her Peach Belt best in the category. Brown also chipp