MORROW, Ga. – Georgia Southwestern held the lead for more than 25 minutes Wednesday night and had the ball in its hands late, but Clayton State delivered the final blow with eight seconds remaining to edge the Lady Hurricanes, 62-61, in a Peach Belt Conference matchup at The Loch.
The loss marked the seventh defeat in Georgia Southwestern's last eight games, as the Lady Hurricanes slipped to 9-12 overall and 5-9 in league play, while Clayton State improved to 9-12 (6-8 PBC).
Hurricanes Control Early Tempo
GSW set the tone early, limiting Clayton State to just seven points in the opening quarter while building a 15-7 advantage.
Ray'ven Robinson sparked the offense with consistent finishes in the paint as the Lady Hurricanes used their size to control the glass, finishing the night with a 44-35 rebounding edge.
The Hurricanes pushed their lead to as many as 10 in the second quarter and went into halftime ahead 32-28 after shooting 44.4 percent in the period.
Back-and-Forth Battle After the Break
Clayton State responded coming out of halftime, slowly chipping away at the deficit and finally pulling even midway through the third quarter. The Lakers briefly grabbed their first lead late in the period, but Georgia Southwestern answered to regain momentum and entered the fourth locked in a tight contest.
Robinson continued to anchor the Hurricanes offensively, while
Janiya Johnson and
Shane' Jackson provided timely baskets to keep GSW within striking distance during a physical second half in a game that featured nine ties and seven lead changes.
Late Drama Decided in Final Seconds
The Lady Hurricanes appeared poised to escape with a road win after Johnson drilled a three-pointer with 1:26 remaining to give GSW a 58-57 edge. Robinson followed with two free throws in transition with 20 seconds left to reclaim the lead, 61-60.
Clayton State, however, answered on the ensuing possession as Etaria Gibbons knocked down a short jumper in the paint with eight seconds remaining. Georgia Southwestern's final look at the buzzer came up short, sealing the one-point defeat.
By the Numbers
Robinson finished with a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds, logging all 40 minutes for the Lady Hurricanes. Johnson added 13 points, while Jackson chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds.
Despite holding Clayton State to just 15.4 percent shooting from three-point range and winning the rebounding battle, Georgia Southwestern recorded a season low in steals (3) and second-lowest assists tally (9), allowing the Lakers to capitalize on key late possessions.
The Hurricanes led for 25:11 of game time and held their final advantage with eight seconds remaining, but Clayton State's late execution proved decisive.
Next Up
GSW is off this weekend before returning home to host the University of North Georgia next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
