Marauders Storm Back in Game for the Ages

The Central State University men's basketball team authored one of the most dramatic comebacks in program history Friday afternoon, rallying from a late 13-point deficit with 4:29 remaining to defeat Edward Waters University 93–86 in overtime at Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium.

What made the victory even more impressive was Central State accomplishing the feat without leading scorer Ramar Pryor, who was sidelined with an injury, along with other key rotation pieces unavailable. Shorthanded, the Marauders leaned on resilience, depth, and one unforgettable individual performance.

Down 13 and searching for a spark, the Marauders turned to Micah Bays and he delivered in legendary fashion.

Bays scored 16 of his game-high 31 points in the final 4:15 of regulation, completely taking over the contest. During the decisive stretch, Bays buried three consecutive three-pointers, attacked the rim, and punctuated the run with a game-tying dunk that forced overtime and sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

Central State carried that momentum into the extra period, shooting 5-of-7 from the field in overtime and outscoring Edward Waters 14–7 to complete the comeback.

Bays finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals, shooting 10-of-17 from the floor and an outstanding 5-of-7 from three-point range.

Javantae Randle stepped into a larger offensive role and produced 18 points, going 7-of-8 at the free-throw line while adding 6 rebounds. Kiyron Powell-Scott delivered an efficient all-around performance with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Isaiah Daniel was perfect from the field, scoring 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting, including 1-of-1 from three, and knocking down 4-of-5 free throws.

Central State won the rebounding battle 40–36, forced 14 Edward Waters turnovers, and capitalized with 19 points off turnovers. The Marauders were also excellent at the stripe, finishing 29-of-34 (85.3%) from the free-throw line.

Edward Waters was led by Jaelen Nelson with 26 points, while Jayvon Johnson added 12 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals off the bench.

The thriller featured 11 lead changes and nine ties, underscoring the back-and-forth nature of a contest that lived up to its billing.

With the win, the Marauders improve to 10–10 overall and 9–9 in SIAC play, continuing to build momentum as conference action enters its final stretch.

Central State returns to action Tuesday at home vs. Simmons College of Kentucky with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. at Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium.

🔢 By the Numbers

• 31 – Points by Micah Bays

• 16 – Bays' points in the final 4:15 of regulation

• 13 – Largest Central State deficit late (with 4:29 left)

• 14–7 – Central State scoring edge in overtime

• 85.3% – Team free-throw percentage (29-of-34)

• 19 – Points off turnovers for Central State

• 40–36 – Rebounding advantage for the Marauders

• 11 – Lead changes

• 9 – Times the game was tied