CAU blown off the court against Benedict College in a 81-52 rout.
Updated: Mar 13, 2021
The Lady Panthers battled the Tigers to kick off the first of their last two home games of the season.
CAU's women basketball players, who have a GPA of 3.0 and higher, being recognized for their academic achievement.
Photo taken by Derrian Carter.
The Lady Panthers dropped to 7-16 (5-9) as they suffered their worst conference loss of the season as the Benedict College Tigers blowouts CAU, 81-52, at L.S. Epps Gymnasium.
This was the second matchup of the season between these conference foes. When these two teams first met, the Tigers trounced the Lady Panthers in a 83-64 victory on Feb. 1. The Lady Panthers attempted to redeem themselves against the conference-leading Tigers but ultimately failed.
In the first quarter, CAU struggled to make 3-pointers (1-6), convert free throws (4-8) and crash the boards, and that would remain true throughout the night. In addition, the Lady Panthers as a team played poorly. They committed over 20 turnovers which exceeds their season average of 18.4, assisted the ball five times which ties their lowest amount of assists this season and finished the game with 10 offensive rebounds which is their lowest amount this season.
Seven players turned the ball over in the contest including CAU’s active leading scorer Reyana Miller, who committed 11 turnovers which is a season high for her. Additionally, only three players had assists. Due to CAU’s poor shooting night, 14-44 (31.8%) and 1-13 (7.7%) from three, none of the players assist totals were sufficient. Lastly, CAU’s inability to rebound the ball led to their demise. CAU had only two players who had more than two rebounds: Autum Morings with six rebounds and Reyana Miller with five rebounds. CAU needed their bigs like 6’1” Lakashia Hill to help on the glass to handle the bigs of Benedict College, but it never happened. As a result of being careless with the basketball and having a poor shooting and rebounding night, CAU were blown off their home court.
In contrast, Benedict finished the game with 11 more 3-pointers made (11-28, 39.3%), a better free throw percentage (14-19, 73.7%) and more rebounds than CAU (49). As a result, CAU never tied the game or had the lead once in the contest. Further, Benedict’s leading scorer and rebounder Ay’Anna Bey, their second leading scorer Wykira Johnson-Kelly and freshman Amaya Ashby led the Tigers to victory.
Each scored in double figures, and each contributed to the team in their own way. Bey crashed the boards, finishing with 10 rebounds, while Johnson-Kelly dished the ball to her teammates, finishing with six assists. Lastly, Ashby had the best scoring night of her collegiate career, finishing the game with 17 points.
CAU will seek redemption when they play their final home game of the regular season against the worst team in the conference, Albany State University (4-17, 2-11), on Feb. 17 in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.
This story has been originally published in Clark Atlanta University's student newspaper - the Panther. For inquiries, email James McJunkins: jamesolaf@comcast.net