YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Tatiana Foster scored game-high 22 points for Clayton State University as they defeated Young Harris College 61-57 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Wednesday (Jan. 31) evening at the YHC Basketball Arena.
The Lakers improved to 9-11 overall and 6-8 in the PBC while the Mountain Lions fell to 8-13 and 5-9. Young Harris returns to action Sunday (Jan. 4) as they travel to Americus, Georgia to take out Georgia Southwestern State University in a 1:30 p.m. PBC Contest.
The Mountain Lions opened the game with a 14-10 lead after the first quarter, making three three-pointers - one each from
Sarah Garner,
Eryn Cochran and
Briana Bell. Young Harris scored just four points in the second quarter, as they shot 13.3 percent (2-of-15) from the floor. Clayton State State only shot 14.3 percent (2-of-14) in the second quarter, as they scored nine points to take 19-18 lead into halftime.
Ashlyn Ellison scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, as she went 3-of-3 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line for Young Harris. The Mountain Lions, who scored almost as many points (28) in the final 10 minutes as they did in the first 30 (29), surged late in the fourth quarter, as they brought the lead down to one (50-49) after a Bell free throw with 1:39 remaining. The Lakers used a 7-1 run over the next 64 seconds to open up a 57-50 lead on a layup by Tatiana Foster.
The Mountain Lions had one last rally as Ellison two free thows, Cochran nailed a three-pointer and Bell hit a pair of free throws to bring the score within two (59-57) with seven seconds left. Clayton State hit two free throws to thrwart the YHC uprising.
"We made a great effort to come back, but you can't have as many breakdowns as we had and win," said YHC head coach
Matt Stearsman. "Too many turnovers in key situations and not enough people willing to be physical with their box outs. Not sure that we've been beaten on the glass that bad all year (49-37). Clayton State wanted it just a little more at times."
Foster finished with 22 points and four assists for Clayton State. Aleisha Merriweather had a double double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Abreyln Rackley tallied 11 points.
Ellison scored 12 points and eight assists for Young Harris. Cochran tallied 10 points, while Bell added 11 points, and Garner grabbed 10 rebounds.
