ATLANTA, Ga. – The Wildcats were ready to challenge for another potential upset, but it was not to be Wednesday night. Clark Atlanta broke open a two-point game with an early second-half run and went on for an 80-64 in SIAC East men's basketball action.

After an opening Khadim Samb dunk and a free throw to start the second half, FVSU appeared to have the moment as it pulled to within 38-36 out of the intermission. The hot-playing Panthers ran off the following nine points and logged a 14-3 run overall over the next 4:55 to turn the margin to 13 points, 52-39. A Sincere Whitehead layup with 3:52 on the clock made it 72-60, but FVSU was unable to get any closer.

Samb made 5 of 10 field goals, including a triple, for his team-high 13 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats. Pierre Mitchell downed a trio of 3-pointers as part of his 11 points and two assists. Whitehead contributed seven points off the bench in seven minutes while both Davorian Rudolph and Kenton Eskridge chipped in six points apiece.

Shemani Fuller finished with a game-best 22 points for the Panthers. With the win, Clark Atlanta posted its ninth victory in a row.

Trailing 11-5 in the first half, Kenton Eskridge led an 8-0 FVSU spurt where he netted all six of his points of the game for a 13-11 lead at 12:32. Kevan Eskridge laid a bucket in at 2:13 for what would be the final Wildcat lead at 32-31 before the Panthers scored seven of the final eight tallies of the half for a 38-33 halftime score.

FVSU will have two days before it hosts the same Clark Atlanta team on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, in a 3 p.m. contest.

-Wildcats-