ATLANTA, Ga. — For the first time in school history, the Clark Atlanta Panthers (10-3, 4-3 SIAC) knocked off a top-10 nationally ranked opponent after taking down the eighth-ranked Benedict Tigers (13-1, 7-1 SIAC) 88-84 in overtime on Saturday afternoon in front of a packed crowd inside Epps Gymnasium. Chris Martin led all scorers with a game-high 32 points to pace the Panthers on the way to their 10th win of the season.
Shemani Fuller was able to pull down a season-high and game-high 13 rebounds to lead CAU on the boards. Elijah Stewart chipped in 19 points on 50% shooting from the field (5-of-10) and from three-point range (2-of-4) while also shooting an impressive 7-of-10 (70%) from the charity stripe. Andrew Stewart also landed in double figures with 11 points and six rebounds in the win.
“Defense was the key! That team tonight was the team that started the year off 6-0. If we continue to guard like we did tonight, we will have an amazing 2nd half of the season,” CAU head coach Alfred Jordan said after the win.
Despite holding on to win, Clark Atlanta University found itself facing a 20-8 deficit just eight minutes into Saturday’s contest. Undeterred, the Panthers fought back, using a 17-6 run to cut the margin down to one point at the 6:46 mark in the first half. Less than two minutes later, Chris Martin laid in a score to even the score at 31 apiece with 4:19 remaining in the first half.
Silas Mason closed out the first half with a made jumper to send the Panthers into the intermission with a 45-41 lead over the eighth-ranked Tigers. Clark Atlanta shot an outstanding 50% (16-of-32) from the field in the first half.
Andrew and Elijah Stewart combined for CAU’s nine points early in the second half to keep the Panthers on top of the Tigers 53-43 at the 17:05 mark in the second half. The Tigers, however, would not go down without a fight after they climbed back to even the score at 56-all with 12:06 left to play in regulation. Both teams continued to trade baskets until Clark Atlanta began to pull away with a nine-point edge (70-61) with just under six minutes left to play.
Elijah Stewart sunk a free throw to put the Panthers ahead by two (82-80) with 18 seconds left to play before Benedict’s Asanti Price knocked down a crucial jumper with eight seconds left to send the game into overtime, 82-82.
The Panthers shot 40% (2-of-5) from the field and 50% (1-of-2) from downtown in overtime to outlast the Tigers 88-84 and secure their first win over a top-10 team in the nation.
UP NEXT
The Clark Atlanta Panthers look to win their fourth straight game as they play host to Allen University on Monday, January 15 inside Epps Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.
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