January 20, 2014 – ATLANTA – Poor shooting from the free-throw and three-point lines proved costly for the Maroon Tigers who lost their third home game of the year, 80-74, to the Claflin University Panthers.

The Maroon Tigers went 0 of 9 from beyond the arc and missed 12 of 34 free throws. While, on the other side, the Panthers hit 20 of 25 free throws and connected on 8 of 15 three-pointers. The difference was fatal in a close game against a conference opponent.

Morehouse allowed Claflin to build double-digit leads at the start of each half. In the first half, the Maroon Tigers closed the gap to four points. In the second half, the Tigers narrowed the margin to one point, with three minutes left, before a Claflin surge put the game out of reach.

Because of injuries and ineligibility, the Morehouse roster has been decimated, since the start of the second semester. For the fourth straight time, only eight Tigers suited up for the game.

Austin Anderson, Joshua Simmons and Darrius Williams carried the scoring load for the Tigers who fell to 5-10 (2-5 SIAC).

Anderson hit 9 of 13 shots and five free throws, for 23 points. His 15 second-half points fueled the second comeback. It was fourth time he has led the team in scoring and the first time since, December 7, when he scored 18 points, in a losing effort against Elizabeth City State.

Williams, who averages 24.6 points since joining the team in January, posted his third double-double in seven games, with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Joshua Simmons, an Orangeburg, SC native, playing against his hometown team, recorded his first double-double, with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Hampered by a sore foot, David Buchannon, the early-season scoring leader, scored five points in today's game, but no points in last Thursday's game at Kentucky State.

Three Panthers did most of the scoring for Claflin, which improved to 8-10 (5-3 SIAC). Jarrod Denard put up a game-high 26 points, Adolph Caldwell scored 20 and Montel Williams added 13 points.

After two road games, against Benedict and Paine, Saturday and Monday, Morehouse will return to Forbes Arena, Thursday, January 30, at 7:30 p.m., to host the Fort Valley State Wildcats.