Mocs Come Up Just Short Against No. 3 Clayton State in Season Opener

TAMPA - Despite leading for most of the game and all of the first half, Florida Southern could not hold on as third-ranked Clayton State took down the Moccasins 63-62 here Friday afternoon despite a career-high 26 points from Taylor Maldonado in the season opener for both teams at the Tampa Spartan Challenge held at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center on the UT campus.

Maldonado, a senior guard from Stroudsburg, Pa., scored 19 of her 26 points in the first half in 20 minutes of play to help FSC jump out to an early lead over the third-ranked Lakers. The Mocs lead grew to as large as 14 at the 6:56 mark after Maldonado hit two free-throws to bring her total 6-for-6 at the line at that point of the game and again at 6:10 mark after Maldonado's 11th point of the opening half.

The Lakers would go on a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to seven with 2:36 remaining in the first half before Maldonado hit three straight free throws and sophomore guard Sydni Payne (Conyers, Ga.) scored on a layup with 1:33 left to give the Mocs a 34-22 lead. The teams would trade baskets in the 64 seconds of the half to give FSC a 36-24 lead at the half.  

The Mocs held their lead with a well balanced offense, hitting 44 percent of their shots and 33 percent on three-point shots, while holding Clayton State to a 22.5 field goal percentage and only allowing one three-point shot on 12 attempts. FSC also outrebounded Clayton State 27-21, including 20 defensive rebounds to Clayton State's 10 in the opening 20 minutes.

Aside from Maldonado, sophomore forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.) was second on the team with six points and five rebounds, while sophomore guard Ali Sanders (Sleepy Hollow, Ill.) contributed eight points and four boards and junior guard Cashala Thompson (Tuscon, Ariz.) added four points for the game.

Maldonado started off the second half with her fifth field goal of the game, giving her 21 points on the day to break her previous career-high of 20 points against West Alabama in 2011. On the day, Maldonado finished 7-of-17 from the field and was 11-for-13 from the free throw line in the game.  

The Lakers, though, would rally early in the second half as they went on a 16-2 run that included three 3-point plays to take their first lead of the contest at 40-39 with 15:37 left in the game.

Senior forward Morgan Lamberg (Mukwonago, Wis.), who scored six points in the game, kickstarted a 9-0 run by the Mocs with a layup at 15:25 to help the Mocs retake the lead at 48-40. The run was capped by back-to-back baskets by freshman forward Laura Hackett (Venice, Fla.). Hackett finished with six points and seven rebounds in her first collegiate game. 

The lead wouldn't last, however, as Clayton State got hot as they scored seven consecutive points to give themselves a lead they would not relinquish until Maldonado hit a jump shot with 58 seconds remained in the game. Clayton State, though, retook the lead 23 seconds later with a jumper from junior forward Yishica Sims to give the Lakers a 63-62 lead and ultimately the win.

Turnovers ultimately doomed the Moccasins, as they turned the ball over 24 times to Clayton State's 17. An inability to get to the free throw line in the second half also played a hand in the loss, as they were only able to take two free throw opportunities as opposed to 18 in the first half. The Mocs did hold a 20-16 edge in points off turnovers.

Sims led the Lakers with 26 points, including three second half 3-pointers and a perfect 4-4 effort from the free-throw line, while Shacamra Jackson added 12 points in the win that extended the Lakers regular season win streak to 35 games. 

Bena Hanyard pulled down nine rebounds and had three steals in the win for the Clayton State, who advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight a year ago.

For the game, FSC held Clayton State to 32 shooting from the field and 18 percent from the 3-point line, while FSC shot 43 percent from the field and 25 percent from downtown.

The Mocs return to the court on Saturday for their second game of the UT Spartan Challenge when they take on Francis Marion at 12:30 p.m. Francis Marion fell 73-65 to Tampa in the other game on the first day of the UT Spartan Challenge. Tampa will face Clayton State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.