TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) rivals Tuskegee and Clark Atlanta were in a tight defensive battle for 40 minutes on Monday evening inside of Daniel "Chappie" James Center. The Golden Tigers took the 56-55 win after outscoring the Panthers 17-13 in the final quarter.

Tuskegee started with a very balanced offensive attack in the first quarter, as five different players scored in the opening frame, giving TU an early 12-6 lead heading into the second. The Golden Tiger defense held Clark Atlanta to just two field goals in the first ten minutes and a 14.3 percent (2-for-14) clip from the field, while also forcing six turnovers as they led for more than half the first quarter.

The pace of play started to pick up in the next quarter, as Clark outscored TU 21-14 in the period, despite shooting just 35.3 percent from the floor, compared to 45.5 percent from the Golden Tigers. The Panther bench was key in the period, scoring 14 points in the frame, as CAU held a 27-26 lead at the half.
 
Tuskegee retook the lead a minute into the third quarter, as junior Cynaye Bobbitt knocked down a pair of free throws to gain a one-point edge, however the lead was not for long as Clark Atlanta responded with a score inside at the 8:15 mark.
 
Neither team scored for nearly four minutes of play, as the Panthers extended their lead to three with 4:34 to go in the third, yet both teams continued to defend well, as a three from Mikayla Malik tied the game for the second time in the period at 33-33.
 
The game remained close for the rest of the frame, as the score was tied six times along with four lead changes in just the third period. Turnovers proved to hurt the Golden Tigers, as Clark Atlanta scored 16 points off five Tuskegee miscues to take a 42-39 lead into the fourth.

The Panthers extended their lead to six with a three in the first minute of the fourth, however Tuskegee started to make a comeback, with scores on two consecutive possessions. The deficit fluctuated between a one and two possession game over the next few minutes, before TU tied the game at 50-50 with 2:44 remaining.
 
After Clark Atlanta went up three with a minute to go, Arielle McElroy got a steal and score to bring the Golden Tigers within a point, followed later by another stop and score, this time from Bobbitt at the 11 second mark to secure the 56-55 win.
 
Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim, Brittney Bolin, and Bobbitt would all finish in double-figure scoring. Abdur-Rahim led the way with a game-high 14 points along with five rebounds and four assists. Bolin finished with 12 points, while Bobbitt finished with her first double figure game in a Tuskegee uniform with 10 points, to go with three rebounds and a block.

Atreonia Garner finished with 10 points and six rebounds to lead the Panthers in the loss. 

Tuskegee is back in action next Tuesday, Dec. 12 on the road at Columbus State. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m ET inside of the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center.

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