Box Score March 2, 2018 – BIRMINGHAM, AL – For the second time this season, the Claflin Panthers rained on the Morehouse parade, eliminating the Maroon Tigers, 77-69, in the semifinals of the SIAC tournament.
The first rainstorm was the 86-75 Claflin win, which halted the Morehouse 18-game win streak.
It was the second consecutive SIAC semifinal loss for the Maroon Tigers who lost last year to eventual champion Clark Atlanta.
A big question for the Tigers will be how the loss affects their ranking and the possibility of hosting the NCAA regional tournament.
One of the clear differences in this game was free throws. The Panthers made their freebies – 22 of 26, for 86 percent accuracy. The Maroon Tigers missed theirs. Morehouse hit only 12 of 21, from the line. That 57 percent was well below their 68 percent season average. Several of the misses came late in the final minutes, with the game on the line.
Overall, it was a bad shooting game for the Tigers who shot only 41 percent from the floor, including 20 percent from beyond the arc.
Omar Alston led Morehouse in scoring, with 16 points. Alston hit 6 of 7 shots from the field and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line and grabbed three rebounds.
Jordan Wallace and James Walker scored 12 points apiece. Walker pulled down five rebounds. Wallace hauled in four boards.
Tyrius Walker led the team in rebounds, with seven boards, but tied his season-low of nine points.
In the first half, the teams traded baskets and the lead, for most of the way. Tony Evans hit all four of his shots for eight points and Omar Alston hit 3 of 4 shots, for eight points. Jordan Wallace chipped in five points and Morehouse led at halftime, 36-31.
Both the Tigers and the Panthers played without one of their best players. Morehouse lost Martravious Little to a season-ending injury, February 8. In last night's win over Lane, Austin Lawton went down with a foot injury that kept him on the bench.
Prior to the game, the Maroon Tigers got a pep talk from the Mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin, a member of the Morehouse class of 2003.
(Details to follow)
