BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Clark Atlanta women's basketball was defeated in the opening round of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament by Central State University, 79-51.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Central State 79, Clark Atlanta 51
Record: Central State (14-13), Clark Atlanta (6-21)
Date: Mar. 1, 2016 | Time: 3:45 p.m.
Location: Bill Harris Arena | Birmingham, Ala. | Attendance: 127

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Mykala Jones opened the scoring making the second of two FT attempts.
 
After Central State took the lead, Kiyanna Johnson was good on a floater in the lane to give CAU the 3-2 lead in the first quarter.
 
CAU took a four-point lead, 12-8, with 3:59 remaining in the opening quarter after a 7-2 run with four players scoring during the run.
 
CAU led after the opening quarter, 19-14, as the Panthers scored five of the last seven points to end the opening ten minutes.
 
After CSU opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run, Jones ended the run with a 3-pointer with 6:08 left until halftime to cut the deficit to two points; 24-22.
 
Clark Atlanta trailed by 13, 37-24, with 1:21 left before the intermission after Central State went on an 11-0 run that was ended on a jumper by Nekia Sockwell off the assist from Brandie Robertson.
 
Sockwell broke a 9-0 run by Central State that had CAU trailing by 20, 46-26, by scoring four-consecutive points in the middle of the third quarter.
 
Jones hit s 3-pointer off the Robertson assist, and Sockwell scored on the layup on a pass from Jones as CAU rallied behind a 9-4 run to close within 15; 50-35.
 
Central State utilized an 11-0 run overlapping the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth to push the lead to 26 points; 63-37.
 
Clark Atlanta added fourth quarter 3-pointers from Sockwell and Jones. 

THE NUMBERS:
Clark Atlanta shot 33.3 percent from the floor (18-for-54)and went just 4-for-16 from 3-point range.
 
Central State committed 17 turnovers that CAU was able to turn into 11 points.
 
Clark Atlanta trailed in points off turnovers, 33-11, second chance scoring, 25-0, bench scoring, 43-40, points in the paint, 44-10, and fast break scoring, 16-10.
 
Jones (16) and Sockwell (15) were the top scorers in the game.  Jones added a game-high four assists.
 
Whitney Collins tied for the game-high with nine rebounds.

UP NEXT:
Clark Atlanta saw the season come to an end and will now turn a focus onto the 2016-2017 season and will see the departure of six seniors - Gia Banks, Nekia Sockwell, Mykala Jones, Siera Bubb, Whitney Collins, and Brandie Robertson.