First Place! Clayton State women roll past rival Columbus State 85-47
St. Fort scores 15 points as 17th-ranked Lakers improve to 17-3 and 7-2 in PBC

MORROW, Ga. — JANUARY 31, 2007 — First place was on the line in the Peach Belt Conference South Division on Wednesday in the women’s basketball rivalry between Clayton State and Columbus State, and it was Clayton State that wanted that top spot the most.

With four players scoring in double-figures and playing the game in dominant fashion, Clayton State pulled off an 85-47 rout over Columbus State at the Athletics and Fitness Center. The victory improves the 17th-ranked Lakers to 17-3 overall and puts them in sole possession of first in the PBC South at 7-2. It was also most lopsided victory ever for Clayton State against its in-state archrival.

Having lost two of their last three games, the Lakers needed a good shot in the arm, so head coach Dennis Cox shook things up. He inserted Kim Lloyd and Lynette Jackson into the starting lineup, and they both proved to be needed sparks from the output.

Clayton State scored the game’s first nine points, and never looked back. The Lakers limited Columbus State to only four field goals in the first 10 minutes to take a commanding 29-8 lead. Marie St. Fort drained three 3-point baskets during that timeframe for Clayton State.

The Lady Cougars, behind the strong play of senior center Cherwonna Walker, trimmed the Clayton State lead to 14 points twice. However, lay-ups by Nikkisha Pritchett and St. Fort increased the Laker lead to 41-23 at halftime.

Columbus State never threatened in the second half as Clayton State continually increased its lead. Two baseline jump shots by Jackson gave the Lakers a 30-point lead. Crystal Brown’s jump shot in the lane then made the Clayton State advantage 79-44 with 2:58 remaining.

St. Fort paced the balanced Laker attack with 15 points off the bench, while Jackson scored 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field with five blocked shots. Pritchett scored 11 points off the bench and Roberta Phillips scored 10 points for Clayton State. The Lakers’ bench dominated Columbus State 41-12, and Clayton State also out-rebounded the Lady Cougars 49-39.

Walker had a courageous effort with a 28-point, 13-round double-double for Columbus State.

Clayton State travels to USC-Upstate on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Laker women ranked 17^th in this week’s
USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coach’s Poll
16-3 Clayton State plays host to arch-rival Columbus State in battle for first place in Peach Belt South Division

MORROW, Ga. --- JANUARY 30, 2007 --- After splitting two games for the second straight week, the Clayton State Laker women’s basketball is ranked 17^th in the nation in this week’s USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coach’s Poll, which was released on Tuesday. That’s down two spots from last week’s ranking of 15^th.

The Lakers, 16-3 overall and 6-2 in the Peach Belt Conference heading into Wednesday’s showdown for first place in the Peach Belt South Division against arch-rival Columbus State,  received 238 points for the latest ranking. Clayton State is the only team from the Peach Belt that is ranked in the Division II Top 25.

The anticipated showdown between Clayton State and Columbus State is set for Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Athletics and Fitness Center. Clayton State won the first meeting between the two teams, 69-61 on Jan. 17 at Columbus State’s Lumpkin Center.