One thing that Clark Atlanta University Panthers Head Basketball Coach George Lynch believes is that this year's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., this week is one in which any team has a chance to win.

The other thing is his Panthers could very well be that team.

"I think they are their only factor, as far as keeping them from winning the championship," Lynch said of his third-seeded team, who takes on sixth-seeded Central State tonight at 9:15 p.m. CST at the Birmingham CrossPlex' Bill Harris Arena. 

"We can get hot," Lynch said.  "We can also go in spurts where we don't share the ball with each other, and we don't play as a team.  But everything we talk about in practice and everything the guys talk about is about being the ultimate teammate."

The Panthers (13-11, 10-7 SIAC) come into the tournament having won five of their last seven games, and two in a row with a 20-point victory over Benedict and holding on to a six-point win over Paine to close out the regular season. 

Earlier this year, CAU held on to defeat Central State on the road in December, 78-71.

Lynch's three seniors – All-SIAC picks Shelvick Henry and Jalen Mitchell, along with guard Austin Donaldson – have ben through this before.  The Panthers have reached each of the past two tourney championship games, winning the SIAC title two years ago.

Henry is the SIAC's second-leading scorer with 18 points per game while Mitchell is seventh with 16 per game.  Donaldson is seventh in assists, fourth in steals and averages 11 points per game. And Romaine Thomas is the SIAC's third-best rebounder with 9.2 per game while accounting for nine double-double games in rebounding and scoring.

Central State finished last in the SIAC West Division with a 4-14 conference record, 6-22 overall.  But Orion Monford has been an offensive spark for the Marauders, averaging 11 points per game and ranking among the top 15 players in the conference in 3-point shooting percentage.  Guard Tom Johnson led the SIAC in steals and was second assists.

But the focus for the Panthers will be to play team basketball and keep the routine the same.

"We'll prepare the same way," Lynch said.  "I try not to change our routine, but the guys knowing that you win to advance – you lose, you go home – I think they will be more focused."

Tonight's game will be streamed live by FloHoops.com at https://www.flohoops.com/live/10645-2019-siac-basketball-tournament/signup?utm_campaign=2019siacbasketball%20tourney&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=thesiac.com&utm_content=website&rtid=55036&coverage_id=6305465.