A tough 2021-22 season came to an end for the Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers Monday as they lost to Kentucky State 78-68 in the first round of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C.

The fourth-seeded Lady Panthers (6-19, 5-11 SIAC) had defeated No. 5 seed Kentucky State (9-14, 5-12 SIAC) 68-61 earlier this season.  KSU advances to the quarterfinal round to play the first seed from the SIAC West Division, Tuskegee.

In a season where the Lady Panthers started with 16 players but were besieged by injuries, CAU only had eight players to suit up Monday.  One of those not playing was the SIAC Newcomer of the Year and the team's second-leading scorer Corriana Evans, who was injured last week against Fort Valley State.

Monday the Lady Panthers fought hard against KSU, erasing an early seven-point deficit to take an 18-16 lead at the end of the first quarter after a Reagan Jackson basket.  But the Thorobreds outscored CAU 17-6 over the first seven minutes of the second quarter to open up a 13-point lead at 35-22.  That lead was cut to five right before halftime as Denise Stine got a layup, followed by two Jackson free throws, and then Stine's jumper as the half ended, pulling CAU to within five at 35-30.

CAU kept things close in the third, pulling to within one at 43-42 after Stine's layup with 5:06 left in the quarter. K-State outscored CAU 9-3 to end the quarter up 52-46.

That lead was cut to four early in the fourth quarter after Jackson hit two free throws to make it 52-48.   KSU's Gracen Kerr countered with a 3-pointer to make it 55-48.  CAU had opportunities to close the gap, but missed their next five field goals.

They battled back and cut the lead to four after Maegan Barkley hit two free throws with 5:20 left in the game to make it 64-60.  But a four-minute, Lady Panther scoring drought while KSU scored seven unanswered points gave the Thorobreds a 71-60 lead with 1:47 remaining.   It was a lead that CAU couldn't overcome in the end.

In what turned out to be her final game in a CAU uniform, Jackson led the Lady Panthers with 21 points, with three steals, three rebounds and five assists.  Maegan Barkley, also playing in her final game, had 16 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Stine finished with 13 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Kaia Barnett had nine points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Brianna Pope finished with eight points and ten rebounds.

Laurie Thomas led five KSU players in double figures with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Hilani Cantone finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Kerr had ten points and ten assists.