AUC Showdown: Morehouse Crushes Clark Atlanta, Builds SIAC East Lead Over Panthers

The Maroon Tigers held off pressure from the Panthers to win the first clash in the 'Battle Of The AUC."

Morehouse made another strong statement in the Battle of the AUC on Saturday, pulling away in the second half for an 86-64 win over Clark Atlanta inside L.S. Epps Gym. The Maroon Tigers stayed aggressive offensively, knocked down timely threes, and lived at the free throw line to earn their sixth consecutive win, improving to 7-3 in their last 10 games. Morehouse remains 7-0 in the SIAC East Division and continues to sit in first place in the division race.

First Half Summary 

Morehouse set the tone almost immediately, striking first with a Brandon Peters three-pointer less than a minute into the game to give the Maroon Tigers early momentum. From there, the defense forced empty possessions, and the offense turned stops into points — Ebuka Peter finished a clean look at the rim, and JerMontae Hill added a fastbreak layup to help Morehouse surge ahead.

The Maroon Tigers kept applying pressure with their pace. After a defensive stop, Caleb Thompson cleaned up a miss and hammered home a putback dunk, giving Morehouse a quick spark and stretching the lead to 9-3. Hill stayed in attack mode from the start, getting downhill and converting at the rim, then stepping to the line to make it 11-3 as Morehouse grabbed control early.

Clark Atlanta tried to settle in, but every time the Panthers showed signs of rhythm, the Maroon Tigers answered. Hill knocked down a mid-range jumper, and Thompson splashed a three to keep the lead comfortable. Then Omar Farah caught fire from deep — drilling a three to make it 20-7, and following it up with another triple soon after to push the margin even wider.

Morehouse's best stretch of the half came during a strong run of shot-making and strong defense. Josiah Lawson scored inside, Jared White hit a jumper, Hill buried a three, and Farah finished a layup that pushed the lead to 34-14, giving the Maroon Tigers their biggest cushion of the opening period.

Clark Atlanta fought back with a burst of energy before the break — attacking the paint and getting to the line to trim the deficit — but Morehouse stayed steady and carried a 40-31 lead into halftime.

Second Half Summary

The Panthers opened the second half with urgency, and the home crowd felt it right away. Clark Atlanta knocked down a three-pointer early and followed it with a pair of jumpers to cut into the lead. The momentum swung again when Evans converted at the rim and added a free throw, pulling the Panthers to within 43-41, and a free throw moments later made it a one-point game at 43-42.

That was as close as it got.

Morehouse answered with poise. Hill sliced through the lane for a finish to calm things down, and Lawson went right back to work inside, scoring at the rim and converting at the free throw line to rebuild breathing room. Even when Clark Atlanta continued to battle for second chances, Morehouse kept responding with timely offense.

The turning point came midway through the half when the Maroon Tigers put together a decisive stretch. Sincere Key knocked down back-to-back free throws to spark the run, then Peters stepped into a huge three-pointer that pushed the lead to 57-47 and flipped the momentum firmly back to Morehouse.

From there, the Maroon Tigers kept stacking stops and points. Hill got to the line again, Thompson added a free throw, and Jared White buried a three to extend the cushion. Then Sincere Moore delivered one of the biggest shots of the day — knocking down a three to push the lead to 66-54 as Morehouse began to pull away.

In the final minutes, Morehouse closed with control and composure. The Maroon Tigers finished possessions, attacked the paint, and cashed in at the free throw line to keep the Panthers from making another push. A late flurry of free throws, brought on by a personal foul, followed by three technical fouls, helped seal the win as Morehouse cruised to the 86-64 final.

Team Comparison

• Field Goals: Morehouse 25-49 (51.0%) | Clark Atlanta 23-67 (34.3%)
• 3-Pointers: Morehouse 9-18 (50.0%) | Clark Atlanta 4-16 (25.0%)
• Free Throws: Morehouse 27-35 (77.1%) | Clark Atlanta 14-19 (73.7%)
• Rebounds: Clark Atlanta 38 | Morehouse 34
• Offensive Rebounds: Clark Atlanta 14 | Morehouse 5
• Assists: Tied 10-10
• Turnovers: Morehouse 16 | Clark Atlanta 12
• Bench Points: Morehouse 30 | Clark Atlanta 13

Statistical Leaders

• : 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
• : 16 points, 5 assists, 3 threes
• : 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
• : 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block
• : 8 points (2-for-3 from three)

UP NEXT

Morehouse continues to roll, extending its winning streak to six straight while staying perfect at 7-0 in the SIAC East Division and holding the top spot in the standings. Next up, the Maroon Tigers will travel to Washington, D.C. to face Howard in an exhibition matchup in the annual MLK Classic Basketball Game.

Morehouse defeated Howard 79-76 last season in the MLK Classic, and Saturday's matchup will be streamed on ESPN+ with tip-off set for 4:00 PM.

The Maroon Tigers will then return home to Forbes Arena on Monday, January 22, when they host Albany State. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger basketball on Instagram @morehousebasketball.

*Article courtesy of Morehouse College Athletics

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