Any day now Claflin University should learn whether it will receive full NCAA Division II membership status this school year.
On Monday, the Pantherettes proved they can more than measure up against a Division I opponent in defeating Bethune-Cookman 73-58 at the Jonas T. Kennedy Center.
It was the second straight win for Claflin (5-1), who was led by Brittani Martin's 17 points. In continuing to rebound from their first setback of the season last Sunday against Johnson C. Smith, the Pantherettes shot a blistering 61.5 percent in the second half and outrebounded the Lady Wildcats (3-7) of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference 38-24.
Claflin also outscored Bethune-Cookman 30-8 in the paint, with the Orangeburg-Wilkinson tandem of freshman forward Lassaundra Barron and senior Jayshaun Bailey providing the bulk of the frontcourt production. Barron scored six of her team's last eight points to finish with a career best 15 points, while Bailey came a rebound shy of another double-double with 13 points and nine boards.
While there were smiles aplenty on the Pantherette sidelines, none could be found on the face of Bethune-Cookman head coach Francis Simmons. So frustrated with the Lady Wildcats' lethargic effort coming off a 19-point win over Benedict on Saturday that the former longtime South Carolina State men's assistant coach and Walterboro native pulled his five starters midway in the second half and benched them for the rest of the game.
Afterwards, a disgusted Simmons left his players alone in the lockerroom and described their play as a team who was already "in holiday mode."
"We didn't compete tonight at all and I don't know why," he said. "But you saw that (Claflin) was getting up and down the floor with energy and we had no energy. There were times we were in zone and they were still beating us to the basket. It was like they weren't taught anything. But you've still got to give the effort to play and right now, I'm disappointed in their effort.
Bethune-Cookman (2-7) enjoyed its lone lead with 17:30 remaining on a jumper by Hartsville native Traci Fountain which made it 2-1. The Pantherettes ran off seven straight points, then pushed their lead into double digits with a 14-2 run highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers by Cicely Jenkins and Martin.
A 3-pointer by Demetria Frank, who led Bethune-Cookman with 13 points, cut the Pantherettes' lead to 28-23 with 3:46 remaining. Claflin then answered with 3-pointers from Tiffany Smalls and Martin to close the first half with a 35-27 advantage.
Finding easy baskets against the Lady Wildcats' porous defense, Claflin would extend its lead to 57-43 in the second half. They were up 15 points with 2:37 remaining when Bethune-Cookman scored six straight points to make it 65-56.
Claflin then turned the game into a 'catch and shoot' between Claflin's guards and Barron. She converted three straight layups six off three assists from Ashley Sorrell-Gibson and Smalls, who closed out the scoring.
Monday's win starts a busy stretch of five games in 10 days for the Pantherettes. Up next for Claflin is a road trip to Memphis, Tenn. on Wednesday to face Lemonye-Owen College as part of a doubleheader with the men's team.
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.