AMERICUS, Ga. --The Georgia Southwestern women's basketball team defeated Clayton State on Wednesday night. The win was the fourth straight for the Lady Canes and gave them their 17th win overall on the season. The 17-3 start continues the best start in school history for third-year coach Justin Payne. The Lady Canes offense started quickly after a stretch of low-scoring opening quarters in their last few contests. GSW scored 20 points in the opening quarter led by Jacquelyn Levay who had two three-point shots find the bottom of the net. In the second quarter, both defenses began to settle in with Clayton State being held to 25% shooting on 16 attempts. GSW went into halftime with an eight-point lead with Ava Jones, the reigning Peach Belt Player of the Week leading them with eight points.
In the second half, Clayton State began their climb back into the ball game making it a one-score game early in the third quarter. That run was matched by a GSW run later on in the third where the Lady Canes ended up extending their lead to 10 entering the fourth quarter. Ava Jones and Clayton State forward Timi'a Swanson, an Americus native, went toe to toe in the third both scoring seven points for their team. The fourth quarter was a stalemate as neither team was able to increase or decrease the Lady Cane lead. Clayton State outscored the Lady Canes in the fourth but not by enough as GSW closed out the game with a seven-point win.
The Lady Canes will continue their homestand with three more games this week all in the Storm Dome. Next on the schedule will be fifth-ranked North Georgia for their second matchup of the season against the Nighthawks.
