ORANGEBURG, SC (December 12, 2022) – The Claflin Lady Panthers (7-2) used a great defensive effort to power their way to a dominating 76-42 win over the Carolina University (4-4) Bruins, Monday evening. The Lady Panthers held their opponents to the second lowest point total thus far this season.
The Lady Panthers’ defense was a big part of a great overall effort in the win. In addition to holding the Bruins to just 42 points and shooting just 34.8% (16-of-46) from the floor, the Lady Panthers shot a solid 46.9% (30-of-64) from the floor. Claflin senior forward Janell Horton made the most of her night as she led the team with a career-high 19 points with seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Scott added 16 points with three steals while sophomore forward Morgan Kelson added seven points with seven rebounds of her own.
The Lady Panthers took control of the game from the very beginning and never looked back. The team was especially impressive in the first half. Offensively, the Lady Panthers had a hard time getting things going, but their defense kept things quiet. The Lady Panthers held the Bruins scoreless until just under six minutes in the first quarter to take a 9-0 lead. In the final minutes of the quarter, the Lady Panthers pushed their way to an 18-9 lead. In the second quarter, the team outscored their opponents, 20-13 to take a 38-22 lead.
It was in the second half that the Lady Panthers really took control of the game. The third quarter was especially impressive when they outscored the Bruins 21-6. Freshman forward Ashari Lewis scored three unanswered points in the final minutes of the quarter to give the Lady Panthers a 59-28 lead. In the fourth quarter, both teams would put on a competitive performance as the Lady Panthers answered 14 Carolina points with 17 points of their own. A Horton jumper with 4:51 left to play gave the Lady Panthers their largest lead of the game before the team closed the night with the dominant 76-42 victory.
With the win, the Lady Panthers improve to 7-2 overall. The team will return to action, Thursday, when they host the Elizabeth City State Vikings in a 5:30 p.m. game. For more information on Lady Panthers basketball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.