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Clark Atlanta University Athletics

Chris Martin SIAC Tournament
Jaymonte Mcleod
68
Benedict BEN 23-7,15-6 SIAC
78
Winner Clark Atlanta Clark 24-5,16-5 SIAC
Benedict BEN
23-7,15-6 SIAC
68
Final
78
Clark Atlanta Clark
24-5,16-5 SIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Benedict BEN 43 25 68
Clark Atlanta Clark 31 47 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Justin Mordecai, Director of Athletic Communications

Panthers Advance to SIAC Championship Game after Comeback Win Over Benedict College

Martin leads all scorers with game-high 22 points

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- In a valiant comeback effort, the Clark Atlanta Panthers (24-5, 16-5 SIAC) took down Benedict College 78-68 for the second time this season to advance to the SIAC Men's Basketball Championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m. With the win, Clark Atlanta secures their first championship game appearance since the 2018 season. 

Clark Atlanta will face the winner of Morehouse and Miles College. The last time Clark Atlanta and Morehouse met in the championship was 1981 with Morehouse coming out on top. Clark Atlanta and Miles College have never met in the championship game. 

Chris Martin paced the game with a game-high 22 points to lead all scorers. Andrew Stewart logged 19 points, followed by Jalen NeSmith with 14 and Jalen Williams with 11 in the win. Kharye Cayne clocked a season-high in minutes (40) and his seventh-straight game with double-digit rebounds after pulling down a game-high 12 boards. 

Clark Atlanta played from behind for the entire first half after Benedict posted 43 first-half points to CAU's 31 points. The Panthers shot 27.2% percent from the field in the first frame which proved to be costly. 

The persistent Panthers seized the second half by storm after battling back to cut the margin to two points (48-46) with 14:09 left to play. Benedict went back in front by five, but a layup from Andrew Stewart put the Panthers back within three (53-50) two minutes later. Reigning SIAC POTY Chris Martin knocked down a deep three-pointer to knot the score at 53 apiece at the 10:53 mark. 

Both teams continued to trade baskets until Clark Atlanta took its first lead of the day on a Kharye Cayne layup that put the Panthers ahead 60-58 with 4:09 left to play. Cayne's layup ignited a 7-1 run that put the Panthers in front 67-59 with just under two minutes left. CAU went ahead by 11 points with 44 seconds and held on to complete the comeback effort 78-68. 

Clark Atlanta shot an identical 35% from the field and three-point range while shooting a game-high 87% from the charity stripe. The Panthers reserves outscored the Tigers bench 32-22 and scored more fastbreak points (15-8). 

UP NEXT

Clark Atlanta advances to play the winner of Miles College and Morehouse in the SIAC Championship on Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m. inside Enmarket Arena. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN+. 

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