title image via Lamanuel Donaldson
Courtesy of Justin Mordecai, Director of Athletic Communications, Clark Atlanta Athletics
61
Winner Clark
51
UWF
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark | 29 | 32 | 61 |
| UWF | 17 | 34 | 51 |
The reigning SIAC Champions kicked off the 2024 season with a wire-to-wire 61-51 win over West Florida in game one of the SIAC/GSC Crossover. Shemani Fuller led the Panthers in scoring and rebounding with a double-double performance (15 points, 12 rebounds). Kharye Cayne continued his defensive dominance in the paint with a game-high five blocks.
Clark Atlanta (1-0) jumped out to an early 10-4 lead over West Florida (0-1) behind four points from Dez’Mond Perkins within the first five minutes. Shemani Fuller, Dez’Mond Perkins, and Ny’Mire Little each pour in six first-half points to mount a 12-point (29-17) lead headed into halftime. The Argonauts struggled from three-point range after going 0-for-8 in the first half and finishing the game 1-of-14 from beyond the arc.
The Panthers also asserted their dominance down low as they outscored UWF 32-24 in the paint.
Ny’Mire Little scored his ninth point of the day with 13:07 left to play, giving Clark Atlanta their largest lead of the night at 22 points (43-21). The Argonauts tried to climb back into it after using a 13-0 run in seven minutes to cut the margin down to 49-41 at the 6:32 mark in the second half.
Shemani Fuller scored four quick points on back-to-back possessions to push the Panthers lead back to 10 but the Argonuats clawed back within two points with two minutes remaining in regulation. Clark Atlanta piled on eight more points and held West Florida scoreless down the stretch to secure a 61-51 win over their Gulf South Conference foe.
Clark Atlanta capitalized off West Florida’s turnovers by outscoring the Argonuats 19-8 off turnovers. The Panthers shot 38.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from downtown, and 69.2 percent from the free throw line to pace the Argonauts in the win.
The Panthers return to action tomorrow against Valdosta State to close out the SIAC/GSC Crossover. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m. inside the Complex. Fans can watch the action on FloSports or follow via Live Stats.
Team Statistics
| Game Stats | Clark | UWF |
|---|---|---|
| FG% | .383 | .352 |
| 3FG% | .333 | .071 |
| FT% | .692 | .571 |
| RB | 35 | 37 |
| TO | 14 | 18 |
| STL | 9 | 7 |
