Clark Atlanta and Savannah State split a basketball doubleheader as the Lady Tigers were victorious over the Lady Panthers while the Panthers remained red hot to start the year and beat the Tigers.
Lady Tigers vs. Lady Panthers
Nyla Allen makes a game-winner just time as time expires to give the Savannah State Lady Tigers a 56-55 victory over the Clark Atlanta Lady Panthers.
Clark Atlanta took an early 9-6 lead in the first quarter, but Savannah State quickly responded with an 8-2 surge to take a 14-11 lead. Savannah State maintained their advantage, ending the first half with an 11-3 run and a 29-17 lead. The first half saw some scoring droughts, with teams going minutes without scoring. The statistics for the first half were unimpressive, with both teams only in single digits.
In the third quarter, Savannah State continued to build on their first-half momentum, extending their lead to 17 points with 4:46 remaining. However, Clark Atlanta mounted a comeback, going on a 17-2 run to cut Savannah State’s lead to 45-43 with 41 seconds left.
The Clark Atlanta Lady Panthers gained confidence and took their first lead of the night, 53-52, with 3:31 remaining in the fourth quarter. They extended their lead to three points, 55-52, with 3:04 left. Savannah State made two free throws to narrow the gap to 55-54 at 2:11. The score remained unchanged for 1 minute and 7 seconds until Savannah State held the ball for the final shot with 0.7 seconds left.
The final minutes of Monday Night’s game were eventful, with a controversial call from the referees. After a timeout by Savannah State, Nyla Allen received the ball, drove to the basket, and made a contested shot while being fouled by Brooklyn McKinley as the buzzer sounded. The referees reviewed the call and determined that the basket counted, ending the game.
Amari Heard led the Tigers with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Nyla Allen added 13 points, and Jacquece Alston had 10 points to help the Savannah State Tigers win its eighth consecutive game.
Coriana Evans and Atreonia Evans each scored 13 points, contributing double figures for the Clark Atlanta Panthers. The Panthers enter this game on a 3-game winning streak.
Savannah State is currently leading the Eastern Division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a record of 11-3 overall and 8-2 in conference play.
Clark Atlanta will have a home next matchup against Talladega College on January 27 at 4 P.M.
Savannah State will begin the first game of their 3-game road trip vs their interstate rivals the Edward Waters Tigers, on January 27 at 3 P.M.
Panthers vs. Tigers
Elijah Stewart had a stunning 17-point performance as the Clark Atlanta Panthers defeated the Savannah State Tigers, obtaining a 50-49 victory. This win helps Clark boost their win streak to six consecutive games in a row.
Clark Atlanta came into Tiger Arena in Savannah, GA, declaring, “This is our house!” In the first half, Savannah State University and Clark Atlanta battled it out, exchanging scores and giving the fans in Tiger Arena a reason to cheer. Both teams went back and forth, with some of the Panther players even engaging in verbal altercations with SSU fans in the crowd.
Elijah Stewart dominated the first half, causing trouble for any Savannah State player tasked with guarding him. Savannah State asserted their dominance in the painted area, scoring 16 points and shooting a better field goal percentage (37% to 35%) than the Panthers. While Clark Atlanta led for the majority of the half, Savannah State closed out with a 10-0 run, bringing the margin to just one point (29-30).
The second half was a fierce battle between two teams, each vying for the other’s respect and struggling to find their shooting rhythm. Savannah never took the lead due to missed opportunities, even though they narrowed the gap to just one point at the 11:29 mark (41-40). However, they couldn’t surpass their opponent, and a scoring drought of 6 minutes further hindered their chances.
SSU’s downfall included missed dunks, layups, and a 3-pointer, shooting only 6 of 21 from the field and making just 5 free throws out of 9 attempts. Clark Atlanta also struggled with a field goal percentage of only 28%. The game featured 3 ties and 7 lead changes, but neither team scored until the 4-minute mark. With 3:42 remaining, SSU trailed 44-49, but King’s three successful free throws narrowed the gap to three points.
Shemani Fuller made 1 of 2 free throws, making the score 50-47. Savannah responded with two free throws from Qua King, once again bringing the score to 49-50, and then forced a missed shot from Elijah Stewart with 18 seconds left, giving them a chance to hold the ball for the final shot. However, SSU’s second attempt, taken by Zion Davis, was unsuccessful.
Clark Atlanta Sophomore Shemani Fuller concluded his night with his second double-double of the season scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Qua King had 14 points and Zion Davis scored 14 points for the Savannah State Tigers, who lost 2 games in a row coming into this matchup.
Savannah State has lost 3 out of their last 4 games. Next, they will travel to face their I-95 rival, the Edward Waters Tigers, on January 27 at 5:00 P.M. in Adams-Jenkins Community Sports & Music Complex.
The Clark Atlanta Panthers aim to defend their 6-game-winning streak against their rivals, the Morehouse College Tigers, in the Battle of the AUC on January 27 at 1:30 P.M. in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.
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