FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-26-05

Men’s College Basketball: Clayton State 63, AASU 59
Women’s College Basketball: Clayton State 69, AASU 67

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Visiting Clayton State showed no respect for the home-standing Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates on Wednesday evening, sweeping a PBC doubleheader from the Pirates. The Lady Lakers handed the Lady Pirates their first home loss of the season, 69-67, while the Clayton State men sent the Pirates to their third straight defeat, 63-59.

The Lady Pirates (14-7, 4-3 PBC) trailed by just one at halftime against the Lady Lakers (13-5, 5-2 PBC), but took a three-point lead, 56-53, on a Peaches Howard bucket with 6:20 remaining. Clayton’s Jasmine Patterson, however, would can a three-pointer snapping a 57-all tie with 4:40 left, and then the Lady Lakers would never trail from that point on. AASU freshman Jasmine Herron had the game of her short AASU career, going 11-of-17 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free throw line en route to 29 points, while junior Audosha Kelley battled leg cramps throughout the night to post 17 points. Clayton State’s Jamika Hindsman had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Shelcey Harp had 17 points.

The men’s game was an equally tough battle as the Pirates 11-7, 3-4 PBC) looked to pull off the upset against the Lakers (12-9, 5-2 PBC) as AASU was up 27-24 late in the first half, but three-pointers by Rashad Williams and Justin Levy carried the Lakers to a 30-27 halftime lead and Clayton State never gave up the lead in the second half in the four-point win. Savannah native Craig Butts had 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in leading the Lakers, who knocked off the Pirates for the seventh time in the last nine meetings between the two schools. Lorenzo Lawrence had 19 points to lead the Pirates.

The Pirates and Lady Pirates next host UNC Pembroke in PBC doubleheader action on Saturday, January 29, at 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men) at Alumni Arena.

-Pirates-