Late SAU Rally Falls Short In Men's Basketball Loss To Claflin

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 9) – Tyre Gathright (Jr./Burlington, NC) scored 22 points as Saint Augustine's University rallied late but fell short in an 83-75 men's basketball loss to Claflin University on Saturday. The non-conference contest was played at the Kennedy Health and PE Center in Orangeburg, S.C.

Quincy January (Sr./Atlanta, GA) added 13 points and nine rebounds and Rashad George (Fr./Raleigh, NC) had 12 points and three steals for the Falcons, whose two-game win streak was snapped. D.J. Harrison (Jr./Winston-Salem, NC) finished with 11 points.

Claflin ranked second in the nation in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, but the Falcons scored 75 points and shot 50 percent from the floor. The point total is the most an opponent has scored on the Panthers this season.

Despite their offensive efficiency, the Falcons trailed by 18 points with 5:43 remaining before staging a late comeback. Gathright scored the last seven points of an 18-4 run to cut the margin to 75-71 with 50 seconds left in the game.

After two free throws by Claflin for a 77-71 lead, the Falcons missed a three-pointer which would have cut the deficit to three. The Panthers hit another free throw before January scored on a tip-in with 19 seconds left to slice the deficit to 78-73. Claflin iced the game at the free throw line, where the Panthers connected on five of six attempts in the final 13 seconds.

The Falcons (2-7 overall) held an early 14-12 lead on Gathright's layup, but the Panthers went on a 30-17 run to open an 11-point lead late in the first half. Harrison scored four points, including a tip-in with two seconds left, to get the Falcons within 42-35 at halftime.

Jaleel Charles had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers, who shot 59.5 percent from the floor and made 27 of 34 free throw attempts for 79.4 percent. Triston Thompson added 15 points and Benjamin Williams scored 14 points as the Panthers (10-1 overall) won their ninth straight game including their second over the Falcons this season.

The Falcons hit the road again Tuesday, Dec. 12, against Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

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