Clayton News Daily

Photo by Heather Middleton

From Staff Reports

On a night when it honored its departing the seniors, the No. 1-ranked Clayton State Laker women's basketball team remained undefeated on the season with an impressive 91-59 victory over visiting Montevallo in

Peach Belt Conference action at the Athletics and Fitness Center.

Clayton State is now 26-0 overall and 15-0 in the Peach Belt Conference, and the Lakers should hold on to their No. 1 ranking in next week's USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll when it comes out on Tuesday.

Montevallo falls to 9-15 overall and 5-10 in the Peach Belt. In addition, it was the 175th victory at Clayton State for Laker head coach Dennis Cox.

The Lakers had their best offensive output of the season, shooting percentage wise. Clayton State shot a season-high 62 percent from the field and 53 percent from 3-point range in the victory. In the first half alone, Clayton State shot 63 percent from the field and 63 percent from 3-point range en route to a 27-point lead at halftime.

An early 19-2 run staked Clayton State to an 18-point lead in the first half. Drameka Griggs and Tanisha Woodard each made 3-point baskets, and Woodard followed with a driving jumper in the lane to give the Lakers a 22-11 lead at the 10:25 mark. Consecutive 3-point baskets by Woodard and Brittany Hall stretched the Clayton State lead to 31-13 with 7:47 remaining.

Clayton State added a 16-3 run near the end of the half as Griggs scored twice in transition to give the Lakers a 39-16 lead at the 4:35 mark. A lay-up in the paint by Shacamra Jackson and a lay-up by

Teshymia Tillman increased the Laker lead to 49-19 with 1:37 remaining.

Montevallo opened the second half on a 10-2 run to cut the Clayton State lead to 19 points, 51-32 with 17:27 remaining. However, the Lakers answered with a 12-4 run of their own. Breanna Fort nailed a jumper on the baseline and a 3-point basket by Hall gave Clayton State a 66-38 lead at the 13:53 mark.

The closest Montevallo would cut the lead from that point on was 23 points. Hall and Latonda Bruce both sank 3-point baskets to give the Lakers a 76-47 lead with 8:27 remaining, and a lay-up by Tillman at the 5:41 mark increased the Clayton State lead to 30 points. The Lakers' largest lead of the game was 35 points, 91-56 on a lay-up by Fort at the 2:24 mark.

Five players scored in double-figures in a balanced Laker scoring attack. Hall paced Clayton State with 15 points, while Griggs scored 14 points off the bench. Tillman and Woodard each scored 13 points and Bruce scored 12 points. Woodard also recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.

For Montevallo, Carrie Parrott scored a game-high 17 points, while Shavonne Seymore scored 10 points.

Clayton State travels to Dahlonega on Wednesday for a Peach Belt Conference West Division encounter at in-state rival North Georgia at 5:30 p.m.