DAHLONEGA | A furious fourth quarter rally came up just a possession short as the University of North Georgia women's basketball team dropped a 73-71 Peach Belt Conference decision to Clayton State on Saturday afternoon in Memorial Hall.
Molly Rainwater led the way for the Nighthawks with a program record-tying six threes to finish with 18 points.
Kelsey Hutchins added 18 points of her own to go along with five rebounds. The duo was joined by
Jordan Livesay with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals and
Cierra Jackson with six points, a team-high 10 boards, four steals and three assists.
North Georgia falls to 11-4 overall and an even 3-3 in PBC play while Clayton State improves to 12-1 and remains a perfect 6-0 in league action.
NOTES - Andrea Benford led the way for the Lakers with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds while DaQuenna Moore inished with 14 points, five boards and three steals in just 12 minutes of action. Tweety Hawkins would round out the double figure scorers for Clayton State with 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
- Jackson's 10 rebounds marked the 12
th consecutive game that the senior guard has led the team in rebounding this sesaon.
- Clayton State led 20-12 after the first quarter, but the Nighthawks would erase that lead behind an 8-0 run fueled by a pair of threes from Rainwater.
- With the score at 28-22, the Nighthawks would clos the frame with a 7-2 run to pull to within a point, 30-29, at the break.
- Clayton State scored 31 third quarter points to push its lead to 61-50 heading into the final five minutes.
- A conventional three-point play by
Cierra Jackson at the start of the fourth would cut the margin to 61-53 but the Lakers would maintain the offensive pressure and extend to 69-60 with 6:19 left. A 5-0 run then pulled the Nighthawks to within 69-65 by the 4:10 mark and put them back in the game.
- The Lakers led 73-67 with 2:50 left before Rainwater drained a program record-tying three to cut it to a three-point deficit 47 seconds later. A Livesay free throw just under a minute would take it to 73-71 and UNG would get the ball back following a missed three at the other end.
- Following a timeout with 26 seconds to go, the Nighthawks would be off the mark on an attempt to tie the game but would get the ball back with 12 seconds following a Clayton State turnover. Running the clock down, UNG's Livesay took a jumper that bounced off the rim and was corralled by Shay Upshaw with four seconds to play.
NEXTThe Nighthawks wrap up the four-game home stand by hosting No. 14 Columbus State on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 5:30 in Memorial Hall.
