Box Score Anthony Williams scored 23 points, while Damien Davis added 20 as No. 23 Clark Atlanta University Panthers closed out their home schedule with an 82-69 victory over Albany State University at L.S. Epps Gymnasium Monday.

The Panthers improve to 22-3, 16-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while Albany State falls to 6-20, 6-12 in conference play.  

Five CAU seniors – Williams, Davis, Samson Akilo, Akil Douglas and Michael Vigilance – were playing their final home games during an emotional Senior Night.

The first half was a back and forth affair, with Albany State twice leading by five points.  A Douglas 3-pointer with 2:34 left in the half put CAU ahead 29-28, a lead they pushed out to 34-29 by halftime.

While Albany State never regained the lead, the Golden Rams pulled to within a basket after Jared Harrington's layup made it 44-42 with 13:13 remaining. But Jalen Mitchell hit four 3-pointers and a free throw over the next four-and-a-half minutes during a 15-8 CAU run that swung the momentum back to the Panthers side.   CAU then pushed the lead to double-figures the rest of the way.

Williams finished with 23 points, six assists and four steals, while Davis had 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks.  Mitchell had 18 points, hitting five 3-pointer.  Shelvick Henry Jr. had 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Douglas had seven points, seven rebounds, a block and an assist. Jamal Pollydore had three points and a steal while Akilo grabbed two rebounds and had a basket.

Jared Harrington led Albany State with 28 points.

"I thought it was a good win," said CAU Head Coach Darrell Walker. "It was a grind out game for a good while. I thought our 2-3 matchup zone was pretty solid.  Jalen gave us a big lift with those threes that he made, got us going and got the crowd going.  Albany State had just played an exceptional game at Morehouse and I knew it was a different team. They have two different players on that team and they made a difference tonight.  Harrington wasn't there the first time we played them.

"Overall, I liked that we moved the ball, we pushed the ball and we defended them and held them to 69 points," Walker said.

The Panthers close out the regular season with a visit to Atlanta University Center rival No. 11 Morehouse on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.   The first matchup between the two teams two weeks ago at Epps Gymnasium was a three-overtime thriller that Morehouse won 97-96. 

Morehouse is 23-1 this season, 17-1 in conference play while CAU is 16-2 in the SIAC.  A CAU win in the regular season finale for both teams would lead the two squads tied for a share of the SIAC East Division title.

"We know we played well enough to win at home and we didn't," Walker said of the first game against Morehouse. "We know we're capable of winning, so we've just got to go on the road and win.  It's not like we haven't won on the road before."