Box Score Akil Douglas's block and 3-pointer, along with a basket and two free throws by Anthony Williams, over the last 1:43 of the game lifted Clark Atlanta University to their 12^th consecutive win, 78-75 over Benedict Saturday at L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

The win keeps CAU tied for first place with Morehouse in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as both have 11-0 conference records.  Clark Atlanta is now 17-1 overall this season.  Benedict falls to 15-4, 8-3 in the SIAC and fourth place in the SIAC East.

"We played a good team," said CAU Head Coach Darrell Walker. "Benedict has kind of been underrated the whole year. Everybody has been talking about Morehouse and Claflin and they've kind of been leaving Benedict out. But they have a good player in last season's Player of the Year [Brandon Morris].  He did his thing tonight.  But Akil had a big block and a big three to really get the crowd going and get us over the hump. We needed all of that."

CAU jumped out to a big lead, 21-7 after Michael Vigilance's 3-pointer midway through the first half.  Benedict whittled that lead down to six – 39-33 – at halftime.

The Panthers got the lead up to 11 early in the second half, but Benedict went on a 15-2 run to take the lead, 52-50 on a Tyler Whitehead 3-pointer with 12:41 remaining.

The lead went back and forth between the two squads, with Benedict tying the game 70-70 on two Brandon Morris free throws with 2:41 remaining. Fourteen seconds later, Jelani Watson-Gayle hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 73-70.

Douglas' block with 1:43 left was followed by a Jalen Mitchell steal and then Douglas' big 3-pointer tied the game again. Mitchell then had another big steal that led to two Williams' free throw with 1:11 left to give the Panthers a 75-73 lead.

After Whitehead missed a 3-point attempt for Benedict, Williams hit a basket with 28 seconds left to put CAU up 77-73.  The Panthers then held on for the win.

Pollydore hit four-of-six 3-point shots and finished with 19 points to lead CAU. Damien Davis had 12 points, five rebounds, a block and a steal, while Shelvick Henry Jr had 13 points and two assists. Mitchell had eight points, five rebounds, five assists, a block and four steals.  Douglas finished with eight points, four rebounds, two blocks, a steal, and an assist. Williams had seven points., three rebounds and four assists, while Vigilance had eight points, eight rebounds and a steal.

Benedict was led by Cairo Brown who had 21 points and while Morris finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

The Panthers have another big game coming up Monday, Jan. 22 when they host Claflin at 8 p.m. in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.  Claflin (17-2, 10-1 SIAC) fell out of a three-way, first-place tie in the SIAC East with CAU and Morehouse after they lost at Morehouse 86-75 Saturday. The loss broke their 16-game winning streak.

"It was a team game," Walker said.  "I think everybody contributed one way or another. To come out of here with a win and be 17-1, with a chance to be 18-1 Monday night against a good team that's coming in that is going to be mad because they got beat up by Morehouse, we have to be ready."