Marauders Battle Late but Fall Short to Clark Atlanta, 72–65
WILBERFORCE, OH — In a back-and-forth SIAC showdown inside Beacom–Lewis Gymnasium, Central State (3–5, 2–4 SIAC) clawed to within striking distance multiple times but couldn't overcome Clark Atlanta's timely shot-making, falling 72–65 on Thursday night.
The game featured seven lead changes and a physical battle in the paint, but a red-hot shooting night from Clark Atlanta's Chase Hill proved to be the difference. Hill was nearly unstoppable, finishing 9-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 from three, posting a game-high 23 points for the Panthers.
Central State started strong, shooting 50% from the floor in the first half and getting balanced scoring across the lineup. Despite CAU catching momentum late in the period, the Marauders stayed within reach behind the play of Micah Bays, who attacked the rim consistently and went into halftime with CSU trailing just 39–32. The Marauders dominated the painted area early, scoring efficiently around the rim and showing their size advantage on the boards. Central State came out of the break with renewed energy, cutting the deficit multiple times thanks to strong interior play from Javantae Randle and continued scoring from Bays. Randle delivered one of his best performances of the season, recording a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, including 11 defensive boards that helped fuel CSU's transition game. Every time the Marauders surged, however, Clark Atlanta found an answer. CAU forward Jadyn Shider was relentless on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds and adding 14 points to support Hill's offensive explosion. A late push by CSU cut the margin to six, but missed threes down the stretch—Central State finished 1-for-16 from beyond the arc—made it difficult to complete the comeback.
MARAUDER LEADERS
CSU controlled the paint with 44 points inside and won the rebounding battle 43–37, but Clark Atlanta's perimeter efficiency—especially in the first half—proved decisive.
KEY TEAM STATS
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CSU FG%: 39.3%
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CSU 3PT%: 6.3% (1-16)
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CSU FT%: 80%
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Points in the Paint: CSU 44 – CAU 32
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Second Chance Points: CAU 15 – CSU 9
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Fast Break Points: CAU 16 – CSU 8
