Morrow, Ga.----The Clayton State University women's basketball team placed four players in double figures en route to a 77-71 victory over Wingate University Friday night in the Loch Shop Region Challenge at the Athletics and Fitness Center on the CSU campus. The contest was the season opener for both teams; the CSU Lakers made a winner out of interim head coach Kaleena Coleman in her head coaching debut.
 
Clayton State junior guard Tierra Johnson (Edison, N.J.) led the Lakers with 17 points. Senior forward Yishica Sims (Jackson, Ga.) added 15 points, while junior guard Kenisha Jones-Barrett (Winter Haven, Fla.) contributed 14 points. CSU junior guard Kayla Pryce (Melbourne, Fla.) added 10 markers.
 
For Wingate, sophomore guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) led all scorers with 20 points. She hit eight-of-12 field goals and four-of-six three-point field goals. Bulldog junior guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) had 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals, while graduate student and WU forward Andrea Bertrand (Midlothian, Va.) narrowly missed a double-double in her Wingate debut with 10 points and eight boards.
 
"Tonight was a great learning experience for us," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "Clayton State does a terrific job of making you play at a fast pace. We must take better care of the ball, rebound better and convert opportunities at the free throw line."

Wingate shot 47.1 percent from the floor Friday (24-of-51), its best effort since a 51.7 percent shooting night on Feb. 8, 2014 in a 91-73 South Atlantic Conference home victory over Anderson. The Bulldogs made 21 turnovers which the Lakers turned into 19 points. The hosts were equally charitable, as Clayton State committed 22 miscues that Wingate converted into 18 points.
 
The Bulldogs led 17-9 on a Neely fast break lay-up with 12:07 left in the first half. The eight-point margin was Wingate's largest lead of the night. The Lakers put together a 15-4 flurry to take a 24-21 edge on a Johnson fast break opportunity at the 4:42 mark.
 
Wingate took its final lead of the first half on a Tricoli triple with 82 seconds to go in the first frame. The three-point basket made the score 30-29 Bulldogs. A lay-up by CSU junior forward/center Kimberly Sinisterra (Gainesville, Fla.) on the Lakers next possession gave the hosts an advantage they would not relinquish the remainder of the half.
 
Clayton State led 35-32 at intermission, thanks to nine points each from Jones-Barrett and Johnson. Tricoli led Wingate with 10 first-half markers. She was followed closely by Neely with nine points. The Bulldogs shot 46.7 percent from the floor in the first half (14-of-30), while the Lakers held a 23-21 rebounding edge.
 
Two free throws by Bertrand tied the game for the fifth (and final) time at 52-52 with 9:47 to play. Neely made one-of-two charity tosses to give Wingate its final lead one minute later. A Sims inside hoop put the Lakers up for keeps at 54-53 with 7:38 left in regulation.
 
Clayton State stretched its lead to 68-60 with three minutes remaining on a lay-up by sophomore forward Ashley Cunningham (Douglasville, Ga.). Wingate cut the deficit to three points twice in the waning moments, but the Bulldogs would get no closer.
 
The Lakers outrebounded the Bulldogs 45-37, thanks to a team-high eight rebounds from junior forward DaQueena Moore (Albany, Ga.). Four CSU teammates had five, six or seven rebounds. Bertrand's eight boards led Wingate. Neely and junior forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) were next with six rebounds each.
 
Wingate will have a quick turn-around, as the Bulldogs will face Columbus State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on day two of the Loch Shop Region Challenge. "Thus tournament is a measuring stick for what we did well and for areas where we need to improve," Hancock says. "I thought our effort (tonight) was outstanding, we just need to clean up a few things."
 

Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Clayton State
11/14/14 5:30 p.m. at Morrow, Ga.

CLAYTON STATE WOMEN 77, WINGATE 71
WINGATE (0-1 overall)
Tricoli, Shelby 8-12 0-0 20; Neely, Amber 5-10 2-4 13; Bertrand, Andrea 3-6 4-8 10; McGee, Morgan 3-6 3-4 9; Hill, Brittany 2-5 4-5 8; Boyd, Sharee 1-5 3-3 5; Bonner, Kelli 1-3 1-2 4; Boston, Brooklyn 1-3 0-2 2; Tomlinson, Alex 0-1 0-0 0; Lewis, Tameka 0-0 0-0 0; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 24-51 17-29 71.
CLAYTON STATE (1-0 overall)
Johnson, Tierra 8-12 1-4 17; Sims, Yishica 4-10 4-5 15; Jones-Barrett, Kenisha 5-15 3-4 14; Pryce, Kayla 3-6 3-4 10; Cunningham, Ashley 3-5 0-0 6; Upshaw, Shay 1-6 3-5 5; Green, Tiayra 1-6 0-0 3; Covington, Jessica 1-3 0-0 3; Sinisterra, Kimberly 1-1 0-0 2; Moore, DaQueena 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 28-67 14-22 77.
Wingate.......................   32   39  -   71
Clayton State.................   35   42  -   77
3-point goals--Wingate 6-12 (Tricoli, Shelby 4-6; Bonner, Kelli 1-3; Neely, Amber 1-3), Clayton State 7-22 (Sims, Yishica 3-6; Pryce, Kayla 1-3; Green, Tiayra 1-6; Jones-Barrett, Kenisha 1-3; Covington, Jessica 1-3; Upshaw, Shay 0-1). Fouled out--Wingate-McGee,Morgan, Clayton State-Upshaw, Shay. Rebounds--Wingate 37 (Bertrand, Andrea 8), Clayton State 45 (Moore, DaQueena 8). Assists--Wingate 15 (Neely, Amber 5), Clayton State 12 (Jones-Barrett, Kenisha 3; Johnson, Tierra 3). Total fouls--Wingate 23, Clayton State 23. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Clayton State-None. A-332