TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Tuskegee (9-3, 6-0 SIAC) dropped their final non-conference matchup of the season, 84-77, on the road against Clayton State inside the Loch and Mason Barfield Court on Monday afternoon.
 
The Golden Tigers jumped out to an early 8-3 lead three minutes into the game behind four points from both Ashiala Jackson (Merrillville, Ind.) and Nadia Thorman-Mckey (Evanston, Ill.), before leading 10-3 at the halfway point of the opening quarter.
 
Clayton State responded with their own run minutes later, tying the game at 12-12 with 1:18 to go and later taking a 16-12 lead to close out the quarter.
 
Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim (Grand Prairie, Texas) tied the game at 16-16 early in the second quarter on a jumper in the paint, followed by a basket from Thorman-Mckey who gave Tuskegee the lead once again at 18-16.
 
Clayton State gained momentum after the tying the game for the second time in the quarter on the next possession and proceeded to retake the lead with a 14-2 run to go up double digits at 30-20 at the 2:39 mark. The Golden Tigers ended their scoring drought with a layup from Aaliyah Austin (Satsuma, Ala.), however they could not make a significant run, as they trailed 39-27 at the half.
 
Tuskegee cut into the lead on multiple occasions in the third quarter, however the teams tied with 18 points each in the period and the lead remained 12 heading into the final frame.
 
After trailing by 17 nearly a minute into the fourth, Arielle McElroy (Bolingbrook, Ill.) scored the first points in the quarter for the Golden Tigers with nine minutes remaining, sparking a run to reduce the lead to single digits at 64-55 with 7:14 to go.
 
Minutes later, Clayton State scored on consecutive possessions to extend their lead once again to 13, before a final push from Tuskegee led by Jackson and JuToreyia Willis (Chattanooga, Tenn.) to pull the game within a single possession, trailing 80-77 with 1:19 to go, yet the Lakers finished the game with a pair of scores to close out the game.
 
Jackson and Thorman-Mckey led the Golden Tigers offensively, with 17 points each and 11 rebounds combined. Meanwhile, Willis added 13 points, six rebounds and a pair of steals, followed by McElroy who finished with 12 points and three assists on the day.
 
Tuskegee was outscored in key points of emphasis, including points off turnovers (35-20), points in the paint (50-42), second chance points (20-15), fast break points (28-13), and bench points (40-13).

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