CSU comes back from 14 down to beat Clark Atlanta 

ATLANTA, Georgia – The Central State Marauders came back from a 14-point second half deficit and held on late for a 78-76 road win over Clark Atlanta on Saturday. 

With the win, CSU improves to 3-1 overall and are now 1-0 in SIAC play. CAU falls to 2-4 on the year and 0-1 in the conference. 

CAU claimed the early momentum with a 8-0 run to start the game and led for the majority of the first half. At the end of 20 minutes, CAU took a 42-35 advantage into the locker room. 

Clark Atlanta maintained its pace to open the second half. Baskets by Justin Longstreet, Chris Martin and Jalen Williams extend the Panther lead, 57-43, with 14:43 to play. Lavar Miller provided the response for CSU by making his next five shots, including two from beyond the arc. The Miller sparked Marauders went on a 16-0 run and took the lead, 59-57, with 9:51 remaining on a Marcus Steele layin. 

The teams traded the lead over the next five minutes of play. Miller hit from three-point range again at the 5:26 mark to put his team up by four. Two made free throws and a basket by Steele helped CSU extend the lead to seven, 73-66, with 2:15 to go. With 57 seconds remaining, CSU remained up by seven, 77-70. One final push by CAU cut the deficit down to one as a Shannon Smith three-point make made the score 77-76 with 18 seconds to play. After CSU split a pair of free throws, CAU's attempt to take the lead fell short as a Smith three-point attempt was off target. CSU managed to run off the remaining seconds to claim the two-point road win. 

CSU was paced by Miller's game-high 22 points. In 16 minutes of play, Miller made eight of 11 shot attempts, including a three-for-five performance from three-point range. Kameron Ivory added 13 points making five of six field goal attempts. Steele finished with 11 points and Brad Lewis recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. 

Martin led CAU with 20 points and eight rebounds. 

CSU plays at Fort Valley State on Monday night at 7:30 pm.

THE BASICS 

Score: Clark Atlanta - 76; Central State - 78 

Records: Clark Atlanta (2-4; 0-1); Central State (3-1; 1-0) 

Location: Atlanta, Georgia 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

With Saturday's win, CSU earns its first road win and first conference win under new head coach Antonio O. Davis. 

Saturday's win snapped CSU's seven-game losing streak to CAU. CSU's last win over CAU came in November of 2013 (97-84). 

Led by Lavar Miller's 22 points, CSU's bench outscored CAU's reserves, 44-5. 

CSU's leading scorer Raymon Adams and rotational player Brent Darby did not participate in Saturday's game.