FLORENCE, S.C. – Third-seeded Clayton State University
placed four players in double figures Friday night as the Lady
Lakers’ claimed an 88-69 victory over sixth-seeded Francis
Marion University in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II
Women’s basketball South Atlantic Regional host by Francis
Marion in the Smith University Center.
Clayton State advances to Saturday night’s semifinals when
they will play the Tusculum/Lander winner at 8 p.m.
The Lady Lakers improve to 19-10 overall, while Francis
Marion’s season ends at 21-9. However the Patriots’
record equals the eighth-best one-season turn-around in NCAA
Division II history. FMU was 6-22 one season ago.
Clayton’s Shantel Ragin scored a game-high 17 points and
grabbed nine rebounds, while Dominique Jennings added 14 points,
Lisa Jackson 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Roberta Phillips 12
points.
Freshman Shannon Singleton-Bates and junior Creshenda Singletary
scored 15 points each to lead Francis Marion. Singletary also
grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, while Bates had six. Junior
point guard Kevina Ransom broke her own single-game school record
for steals with 12.
After five ties and five lead changes in the first half, Clayton
State finally made its move when it broke a 28-28 deadlock with
5:42 left in the half and went on a 12-0 run to take a 40-28 lead
on a three-pointer by Jennings with 2:42 remaining.
Clayton, which led 45-35 at halftime, shot 44.4 percent in the
first half, while FMU shot 40 percent.
The Lady Lakers controlled the second half and built its lead up
to as many as 20 points on two occasions, the last time at 68-48
with 8:28 left to play.
Clayton State connected on 26-of-65 field goals for 40 percent,
including 4-of-13 three pointers for 30.8 percent. The Lady Lakers,
who won the battle of the boards 59-38, made 32-of-47 free throws
for 68.1 percent.
FMU made 27-of-75 floor shots for 36 percent, including 3-of-18
three pointers for 16.7 percent. The Patriots were 17-of-21 from
the foul line for 70.6 percent.
3-14-08 6 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
CLAYTON STATE 88, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 69
CLAYTON STATE (19-10)
Ragin, Shantel 4-11 8-12 17; Jennings, Dominique 4-11 4-5 14;
Jackson, Lisa
5-6 2-3 13; Phillips, Roberta 3-11 6-7 12; Hardeman, Shanrika 2-5
5-7 9;
Larry, Kimberly 3-8 2-5 8; Whitlock, Arlanderia 3-6 2-2 8; St.
Fort, Marie
2-7 3-6 7. Totals 26-65 32-47 88.
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (21-9)
Singleton-Bates, Sha 7-15 0-0 15; Singletary,Creshenda 7-16 0-2
15; Young,
Brittany 3-7 2-4 9; Ransom, Kevina 2-11 5-6 9; Dyer, Jennifer 1-6
3-3 5;
Mack, Shavone 1-2 2-2 4; Allen, Ebony 2-7 0-0 4; Morgan, Shaquana
1-1 0-0 2;
Downer, Shonelle 1-2 0-0 2; Dixon, Yasmean 1-3 0-0 2; Ruff, Evelyn
1-2 0-0
2; Marsh, Kirby 0-1 0-0 0; Guilliams, Renee 0-1 0-0 0; Grayson,
Rita 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 27-75 12-17 69.
Halftime: Clayton State 45 Francis Marion 35.
3-point goals-Clayton State 4-13 (Jennings, Dominique 2-4;
Jackson, Lisa
1-1; Ragin, Shantel 1-5; St. Fort, Marie 0-1; Phillips, Roberta
0-2),
Francis Marion University 3-18 (Singletary,Creshenda 1-3; Young,
Brittany
1-3; Singleton-Bates, Sha 1-1; Allen, Ebony 0-3; Ruff, Evelyn
0-1;
Guilliams, Renee 0-1; Dyer, Jennifer 0-4; Ransom, Kevina 0-2).
Fouled
out--Clayton State-None, Francis Marion University-Young,
Brittany; Dixon,
Yasmean. Rebounds-Clayton State 59 (Hardeman, Shanrika 12),
Francis Marion
University 38 (Singletary,Creshenda 8). Assists-Clayton State 15
(Ragin,
Shantel 6), Francis Marion University 15 (Ransom, Kevina 8).
Total
fouls-Clayton State 18, Francis Marion University 34. A-721
NCAA II Women's Basketball South Atlantic Regional Tournament
(Quarterfinals)
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