RALEIGH, N.C. (Nov. 20) – Tyre Gathright (Sr./Wilmington, NC) scored 25 points for Saint Augustine's University, but the Falcons fell to Claflin University 83-71 in the CIAA men's basketball opener for both teams at Tullis Arena in Orangeburg, S.C., on Monday, Nov. 19.
Gathright led four Falcons in double figures. Miguel Brown (So./Wilson, NC) posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and Jquwan Ruffin (Jr./Ahoskie, NC) came off the bench to score 11 points. D.J. Harrison (Sr./Winston-Salem, NC) added 10 points.
Gathright scored 19 second-half points for the Falcons, who trailed 28-25 at halftime but were outscored 55-46 in the final 20 minutes. They fell behind 50-38 at the 11:28 mark but closed within 62-59 on a three-pointer by Ruffin with 2:48 remaining. The Falcons (0-1 CIAA, 2-2 overall) would get no closer as the Panthers finished the contest on a 21-12 run.
Triston Thompson of the Panthers led all scorers with 30 points. Romero Hill added 15 points and Rodney Prichard scored 12 points as the Panthers (1-0 CIAA, 2-2 overall) played their first-ever conference game as a new CIAA member.
The Falcons took an early lead in the matchup. Donte Edwards (Fr./Durham, NC) scored five points during an 11-4 spurt to open a 21-14 Falcons' lead midway in the first half. The Panthers answered with a 14-4 run, including eight straight points, to go into the locker room ahead by three at the half.
Both teams were hot in the second half. The Falcons shot 48.6 percent and the Panthers shot 56.3 percent.
The difference was at the three-point arc and charity stripe. The Falcons made 6 of 15 three-pointers for 40 percent and 6 of 7 free throws for 85.7 percent in the second half. The Panthers hit 7 of 10 three-pointers for 70 percent and 12 of 15 free throws for 80 percent.
The Falcons will travel to Florida during the Thanksgiving break. They visit Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. and Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, Nov. 24, at 4 p.m.
