Claflin Falls to Central State in SIAC Basketball Opener

Orangeburg, S.C. (Claflin) — Ryan McNeill-Moses scored a team-high 20 points as Claflin University fell to Central State University, 81-72, in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) men’s basketball contest Tuesday at the Tullis Arena.

The loss dropped the Panthers to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Austin Lawton followed McNeill-Moses in the scoring column for the Panthers with 15 points.  Lawton added seven rebounds and seven blocked shots.

Triston Thompson added 10 points, while Benjamin “Tre” Williams and De’shon Nails tallied eight points apiece.

McNeill-Moses added six rebounds with three assists and three blocks in the loss.

Central State, 4-2 and 2-0 in conference play, was led by Dwight Richard, Jr. with a game-high 25 points. Markese McGuire added 18 points.

Central State finished the game with 13 three-pointers. Claflin had just three, all coming in the first half.

The Panthers fell victim to a cold spell midway the second half.  Leading 52-51 with 12:22 left, Claflin manage just two points over a 4-1/2 minute period, while Central State chalked up 12. The lack of offense put the Panthers in a hole at 63-54 lead with 8:47 left.

From that point, Claflin could get no closer than seven points in the final five minutes.

In the first half, the contest was basket-for-basket for most of the way. The Panthers trailed 35-31 in the closing seconds before Lawton nailed a three-pointer as time expired to end the first half.

Lawton basket pulled Claflin to within 35-34 heading into intermission.

Lawton finished the opening half with 11 points, eight coming in the paint, along with six blocked shots and five rebounds.

McNeill-Moses had eight of his 20 in the first half.

Claflin will host SIAC foes Kentucky State University on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. followed by Lane College on Saturday.