BIRMINGHAM, AL – The Fort Valley State University Wildcats basketball team moves on in the SIAC Basketball Tournament with a quarterfinal win over number one seed Claflin University 76-58 Wednesday afternoon at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham. During the regular season the Wildcats won in the only meeting between the two teams.
 
The Wildcats improved its overall record to 12-17. Claflin ended their season with a 17-10 overall record.
 
Senior point guard Jalen Crawford led four Wildcats in double digits with 15 points, four rebounds, while hitting 5-of-12 shots from the field and making 4-of-7 free throws. Junior forward James Barnes led the team with six rebounds, 12 points, two assists, blocked a shot and scored on 4-of-5 foul shots. Sophomore point guard Tyler Edwards and sophomore guard Jaylon McMillan added 13 and 10 points.
 
Triston Thompson scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Panthers while grabbing six rebounds. Austin Lawton put up 14 points and six boards and Benjamin Williams added 13 points.
 
The Wildcats forced the Panthers into 15 turnovers while out rebounding them 41-32.
 
FVSU made 24-of-51 (47.1 percent) shots from the floor, hit 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) basket from behind the arc and scored on 25-of-35 (71.4 percent) from the free throw line.
 
Claflin scored on 35.6 percent (21-of-59) of the baskets from the field, 16.7 percent (2-of-12) in three pointers and hit just 53.8 percent (14-of-26) of their foul shots.
 
Both teams sank 36 points each in the paint, but the Wildcats gained 17 points off turnovers and picked up another 37 points from players off the bench. The teams tied the game six times and the lead changed three.
 
FVSU went to halftime up 33-21 with both teams exchanging points in the first half. Barnes' free throws with 11:41 left gave the Wildcats the lead for good in the first half. FVSU went up by 13 twice in the half and with 10 seconds to go Crawford scored the final points with a 3-pointer.
 
Junior point guard J. R. Bryant's jumper with 15:53 left added to the Wildcats lead of 40-26. Claflin's Triston Thompson's free throws tied the game at 44-44 with 10:05 to go but Barnes' layup with 1:46 left pushed the Wildcats lead to 16 (72-56). McMillan scored the final two free throws at the end.
 
FVSU will play again on Friday, March 3 at 4:15 against the winner of tomorrow's game between LeMoyne-Owen College and Benedict College.