BIRMINGHAM, Ala -- The Claflin Panthers advanced to within a game of the SIAC Tournament Championship with a 70-65 victory over Miles College Thursday night.

The Panthers were led by Phillip Brown who scored 15 points; guard Eric Salley had nine. Miles was led by Larry Swain with 16 points and Flawaan Flaggs had 11 points.

The Panthers (24-2) will play again in the tournament Saturday at 8 p.m. Central against the winner of Friday’s Lemoyne-Owen/Fort Valley State game. If Clalin wins Saturday night’s game it would advance to the SIAC Championship game to be played at 4 p.m. Sunday. That game will be televised on ESPNU.

Tuskegee takes down Pantherettes

The Claflin women were eliminated from the SIAC Tournament in the quarter-final round by the Tigerettes of Tuskegee University, 58-54.

With the Pantherettes enjoying a four-point advantage at the break 26-22, Claflin came out in the second half and built its largest lead of the contest 15 points (45-30) with 11:45 left. The Tigerettes went to a full-court press to try to get back into the game, and that is exactly what they did. Employing full-court pressure for the next seven minutes, Tuskegee went on a 22-6 run to take their first lead of the game 52-51, with 4:28 remaining. During the run the Pantherettes made numerous turnovers and gave the Tigerettes easy scoring opportunities to help Tuskegee gain the lead. Claflin would score just three more points the rest of the way, as Tuskegee scored six for the final margin 58-54.

Jayshaun Bailey led the Pantherettes in scoring with 14 points. Ashley Sorrell-Gibson collected 12 points, and Tiffany Smalls finished with 11 points.

The Pantherettes end their season with a record of 14-12.

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