Clayton State women end UNC-Pembroke jinx with convincing 66-54 victory
Jennings scores 21 points, Jackson hits for 14 as 12th-ranked Lakers improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Peach Belt

MORROW, Ga. – December 1, 2007 – Out of all the teams in the Peach Belt Conference, the UNC-Pembroke Lady Braves have given the Clayton State Lakers the most difficulty over the last few seasons in women’s basketball. In fact, UNC-Pembroke entered Saturday’s game between the two teams having won four of the last five games.

However, Clayton State shook off the jinx in a big way with a 66-54 victory over UNC-Pembroke at the Athletics and Fitness Center. The victory was the second straight for Clayton State, which is now 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Peach Belt heading into two Top 25 road showdowns at second-ranked Delta State (Dec. 9) and 11th-ranked and defending Division II national champion Southern Connecticut State (Dec. 16).

The Lakers never trailed, scoring the game’s first nine points behind 3-point baskets by Dominique Jennings and Marie St. Fort in the first three minutes. They stretched the lead to 13 points, 18-5 on a 3-point basket by Shanrika Hardeman.

UNC-Pembroke twice cut the deficit to six points in the second half, but Clayton State responded with an 8-1 run as Jennings scored twice on driving lay-ups to give the Lakers a 39-26 lead with 1:24 remaining. Arlanderia Whitlock’s 3-point basket gave Clayton State a 42-31 at halftime as the Lakers shot 44 percent (7-for-16) from 3-point range in the first half.

A lay-up by Natalie Ray cut the Laker the lead to 42-35 for UNC-Pembroke with 18:23 remaining in the game, but that was as close as the Lady Braves would get. Clayton State responded with a 10-2 run to take control of the game as Lynette Jackson’s jump shot in the lane gave the Lakers a commanding 52-37 lead with 14:21 remaining.

The Lakers’ largest lead of the second half was 18 points, 66-48 on a 3-point basket by Roberta Phillips at the 2:35 mark.

Jennings paced Clayton State with 21 points on three 3-point baskets, while Jackson was stellar off the bench with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field and seven rebounds. She also tied the Laker single-game record for blocked shots with six.

For UNC-Pembroke (2-3, 0-2), Ray paced the Lady Braves with 10 points and five rebounds, followed by Victoria Willis with nine points and five rebounds. Chevoya Jackson also scored nine points for the Braves.

The heralded showdown between Clayton State and Delta State will take place next Sunday (Dec. 9) at Delta State’s Siler Coliseum. Game time is 2 p.m. CDT.