Sumpter Leads Lady Panthers in Season Opener

Box Score Brunswick, Ga.---Despite a double-double performance from senior center Erika Sumpter, the Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers, the regining SIAC 2013 women's basketball champions, dropped its season opener on the road to the College of Coastal Georgia 72-71 Saturday.

With eight ties and 12 lead changes in the game, CAU held a slim 33-32 lead at the half. After a 24-11 run, the Mariners opened their largest lead of the game 56-44 with 10:31 remaining. But the Lady Panthers answered with their own 17-4 run led by Sumpter who poured in six of her game-high 24 points during that stretch. After a steal by CAU's Denissea Law, senior guard Conisha Hicks' basket with 5:18 remaining gave Clark Atlanta a one point advantage (63-62). With the Lady Panthers clinging to a 71-70 lead at the 1:09 mark, Madel Madden's 18-foot jumper pushed Coastal ahead with 40 seconds remaining. Despite a valiant effort to close out the game, Clark Atlanta's shot attempt at the buzzer fell short.

Sumpter led CAU with 14 boards and shot 10-for-13 from the field to go along with two blocks and a perfect 4-4 from the line. Hicks added 18 points and a game-high seven assists and six steals while hitting 3-of-7 from behind the arc Forward Jomanda Smalls also pulled down 11 rebounds for the Lady Panthers. As a team, CAU shot 62 percent from the floor compared to 64 by the Mariners.

Next, the Lady Panthers will play in the Paine College Classic November 16-17 in Augusta, Georgia, before their season opener Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m., against Augusta State.
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