MORROW -- Taniyah Bowman posted a career-best 11 points off the bench and the Sand Sharks trimmed the lead down to five, but couldn't overcome a few late turnovers and fell to Clayton State 62-48 Saturday afternoon in Morrow, Georgia. 

"This is a tough one because we did a lot to ourselves," said head coach Sharon Versyp. "We've got to a better job of limiting our own mistakes moving forward." 

Janiyah Heyward scored in double figures for the eighth straight game and Shaniya Rose fell just one point shy of a double-double posting nine points and 10 boards.  

USCB was held scoreless for the first three-plus minutes until Heyward converted the Sand Shark's first bucket ending the Lakers 8-0 run to begin the game. Clayton State pushed its lead out to double-figures, going up 13 after Jadah Waite converted one of her three first quarter triples. 

The Sand Sharks faired better in the second period finding Rose down in the paint to cut the lead to single digits. But White drained another three-pointer to put the Lakers up 11. Primo picked off a would-be pass from CSU and converted the basket to head into the half down eight, 27-19.

Beaufort and Clayton State exchanged points on the possessions as the second half opened. Madison Self contributed four points to in the opening minutes, but the Lakers continued its man-to-man defense forcing multiple turnovers and converted those turnovers into points. 

Clayton State's lead sat at 10 heading to the fourth quarter, but USCB continued to put the pressure on, forcing the Lakers into poor shooting opportunities allowing the Sand Sharks to trim the lead to six. Waite connected on another triple to make it a 10-point Laker advantage but Taniyah Bowman went coast-to coast putting her into double-figures and making it 57-48. That would be the last basket USCB scored and the clock read zeroes with the score 62-48. 

USCB heads back to Bluffton on Wednesday as it'll host Lander. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Cove.