Clayton State's Elite Eight Run Comes to a Close 66-59

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – March 24, 2009 – For most of the 40 minutes on Wednesday, the opportunity to advance in the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” was there for the Clayton State Laker women’s basketball team. However, the Lakers just couldn’t seal the deal in the end.

Spearheaded by a late charge in the second half, Alaska Anchorage brought Clayton State’s 2008-09 season to close in the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals, pulling off a thrilling 66-59 victory over the Lakers at Greehey Arena. The defeat ends Clayton State’s season at 26-7.

Despite the defeat, it’s the second-most victories in a season for a Clayton State women’s basketball team. In addition, the Lakers have advanced to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” twice in the last three seasons.

“Let me start by saying how proud I am of my kids,” said Clayton State head coach Dennis Cox. “When you know you have an opportunity – a real good opportunity – to come out with a win against a real good team, it’s hard to swallow. We’ll remember this as a great season, but we’ll also remember it as an opportunity that we let slip away.”

Alaska Anchorage (31-3) came into the game ranked second in the nation and having the top defensive team in all of Division II. However, Clayton State controlled the game from the 15-minute mark of the first half right up until the final eight minutes remaining in the contest. Nikkisha Pritchett’s driving lay-up at the 8:35 mark gave the Lakers what appeared to be a solid 56-43 lead.

That’s when the bigger Seawolves stepped up their intensity, out-scoring Clayton State 23-3 down the stretch. Ruby Williams and Hanna Johannson, each converted inside lay-ups for Alaska Anchorage. Then Tamar Gruwell, who had been held scoreless up until that point, drained three straight 3-point baskets. Her final long-range bomb tied the game at 57-57 with 4:59 left.

All Clayton State could muster was three free throws in the final eight minutes as the Lakers went 0-for-12 during that time-span. The Seawolves took the lead for good 61-59 on a lay-up by Nikki Alden off a Clayton State turnover at the 2:09 mark.

“It’s has kind of been our M.O. a bit – even in the region tournament, we had trouble finishing games,” Cox said. “But we played so well there that we were able to hang on. It just caught up with us today. You’re just not going to beat a team as good as Alaska Anchorage if you don’t finish.”

Nikkisha Pritchett paced Clayton State with 12 points, followed by Stevens with 11 points and Tanisha Woodard with 10 points. In the second half, Clayton State shot only 26 percent from the field, including only 10 percent from 3-point range. This after shooting 50 percent from 3-point range in the first half to take a 39-30 lead at halftime.

Defensively, Clayton State’s press was effective against Alaska Anchorage, forcing 31 turnovers. The Seawolves committed 17 turnovers in the first half as the Lakers wiped out a 12-0 Alaska Anchorage lead a the start of the game with a 25-5 run over a seven-minute span.

All-American center Rebecca Kielpinski recorded a double-double for Alaska Anchorage with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Williams and Gruwell each scored 11 points for the Seawolves.