ORANGEBURG, SC --Leasia Matthews and D'Ayzha Atkinson combined to score 28 total points, but the Lady Bears fell to the Claflin Panthers 61-45 on the road Saturday.
Matthews led the Lady Bears (7-12, 5-7) with 19 points. Atkinson added nine points and 11 rebounds and Mikyah Finley chipped in as well with nine points and two steals.
Shaw pulled down 43 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to Claflin's 31, led by Atkinson's 11 boards. The Lady Bears also cleaned up the offensive glass, turning 16 rebounds into nine second chance points.
Shaw did a great job disrupting Claflin shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Mahogany Collins' five rejections led the way individually for the Bears.
How It Happened
After falling behind 4-2, Shaw went on a 5-0 run with 8:03 left in the first quarter to take a 7-4 lead. The Lady Bears then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with an 18-17 advantage. Shaw relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down four shots to account for 12 of its 18 points.
The Lady Bears could not maintain their lead in the second quarter and entered halftime trailing 31-27.
Shaw's deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Bears faced a 47-40 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. Shaw knocked down two three-pointers in the quarter to score six of its 13 total points.
Shaw could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 61-45. Shaw got up and down the court quickly in the quarter, scoring two fast break points.
Game Notes
» Leasia Matthews, D'Ayzha Atkinson, and Mikyah Finley combined to account for 82 percent of the Bears points.
» Shaw played solid perimeter defense, holding Claflin to 19 percent from three point land on 26 attempts.
» Shaw lost despite a 43-31 rebounding advantage.
» The Shaw defense forced 17 turnovers.
» The Bears were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying five blocks as a team.
» Shaw cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 16 offensive boards in the game.
» Leasia Matthews led the Bears with 19 points.
» D'Ayzha Atkinson grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to lead Shaw and Mahogany Collins contributed 10.
Up Next
Shaw continues their road swing with a stop in Fayetteville, NC to face the Fayetteville State University Broncos. Tipoff is slated for 6 PM inside Capel Arena.
