Box Score ATLANTA, Ga. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team pulled away late in an 81-63 victory over Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) foe Clark Atlanta University on Saturday night at Epps Gymnasium.
The Panthers (3-11, 2-5 SIAC East) grabbed a quick 10-3 lead to open the game, but the Badgers battled back to tie the game at 12-12 off a jumper by sophomore center
Dejan Stefanovic at the 13:10 mark. Another jumper by Stefanovic was followed by a 3-pointer by freshman guard
Jack Morrissey and a layup by senior guard
Robert Drummond as SHC was suddenly out in front by a 19-12 margin with 11:35 to play in the half.
For the next five minutes of play, the teams mainly traded turnovers, missed shots and fouls as the score remained stuck at 23-14 for over three minutes until Earl Lawrence of CAU sank two free throws at 6:15. Those freebies took the lid off the Panthers' basket as CAU rallied to tie the game at 23-23 with 4:15 until the intermission.
The Badgers then pried the lid off their goal and erupted to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room with a scoring run that featured a 4-point play with a 3-point bucket and successful foul shot by junior guard
Jarrett Calhoun with 10 seconds on the clock.
The Panthers cranked up the defensive pressure to start the 2nd half and used it to spark an 11-2 run over the period's first four minutes to claw back within three points at 39-36.
Freshman Badger guard
James Clarke drained a 3-pointer at 13:16, however, as SHC regained a 6-point lead at 48-42. Stefanovic made it 50-42 just 45 seconds later by scoring with another short jump shot. With 8 minutes to play, the Badgers held a 63-58 advantage, but could not find a way to shake off a pesky Panthers squad that was answering SHC basket for basket. Clarke's fourth 3-pointer of the night at 5:07 made it 70-58 as the Badgers began to pull away.
Clarke finished with 18 points while Stefanovic and Morrissey each put 14 points in the nets and junior guard
DeVaughn Hardrick added 15 points. Hardrick and Clarke each completed a double-double effort with 12 and 10 rebounds respectively. SHC pulled in 49 rebounds and lost 18 turnovers while shooting 48.4% (30-62) from the floor and 52.6% (10-19) in 3-point attempts.
CAU was led by Najee Whitehead with 19 points as the Panthers shot 35% (21-60) overall including (20.8%) 5-24 from behind the 3-point arc. Clark Atlanta lost 14 turnovers with 33 rebounds.
Spring Hill (4-12, 3-4 SIAC West) will return home to face divisional foe the Miles College Golden Bears (1-12, 0-6, SIAC West) on Monday at 8 p.m. in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.