TUSKEGEE, Ala. — A dominant fourth-quarter surge powered Tuskegee women's basketball to a 62-54 victory over Clark Atlanta on Saturday afternoon inside the Daniel "Chappie" James Center, giving the Golden Tigers their second home and SIAC win in just three days.

Tuskegee started the game slowly, falling behind 13-5 after the opening quarter as shots refused to fall and Clark Atlanta capitalized on early turnovers. The Golden Tigers began finding their rhythm in the second quarter, sparked by an aggressive stretch from Arianna Durrell and Shemaiah Mackin.

At the 5:51 mark, Durrell scored on a driving layup to cut the deficit to 18-9, and Mackin followed minutes later with a layup in traffic to bring TU within 21-11. Clark Atlanta entered halftime with a 27-18 advantage, but Tuskegee had begun to establish control on the boards and in the paint.

The turning point came in the third quarter. Despite Clark Atlanta briefly stretching its lead to 14 points, their largest of the game at the 0:42 mark, Tuskegee mounted a critical response. With the period winding down, Jaydyn Bullard drilled a three from the right wing off an assist from Brooklyn McKinley, trimming the deficit to 46-35 entering the fourth.

What followed was Tuskegee's most dominant quarter of the early season. The Golden Tigers opened the fourth on a blistering shooting stretch, going 7-or-17, including five three-pointers in the period.

Durrell extended the rally at 3:27 with a transition three off a turnover, giving Tuskegee its first lead of the game at 51-50. Moments later, she pushed the margin to 52-50 at the free-throw line.

Clark Atlanta briefly tied the game at 52-52 with a pair of free throws at the 2:27 mark, but Tuskegee answered immediately. Freshman Morgan Jones stepped into a deep three with 1:59 left to put TU ahead 55-52.

After the Panthers pulled back within one, Mackin delivered the dagger, a second-chance layup off an offensive rebound and assist from Aaliyah Duranham, extending the lead to 57-54 with 1:02 remaining.

From there, Kae'la Mitchell closed out the win at the free-throw line, sinking four straight foul shots inside the final 26 seconds to push the margin to 62-54 and seal the victory.

Tuskegee outscored Clark Atlanta 27-8 in the final period, delivering its best offensive frame of the game while holding the Panthers without a field goal in the final two minutes. The Golden Tigers also forced seven turnovers without committing one of their own in the fourth quarter.

Durrell led the team with a game-high 20 points along with six rebound and three assists. Mackin recorded her second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Mitchell added 10 points and three rebounds.

Overall, Tuskegee shot just under 36 percent from the field and 7-for-21 from three, while Clark Atlanta shot 38 percent but struggled from beyond the arc at just 2-for-8. Tuskegee also generated 22 points off turnovers and 14 second chance points in a game defined by grit and late execution.

With the 62-54 win, Tuskegee improves to 2-0 at home and picks up its second conference victory in three days, solidifying a strong opening statement in SIAC play.
 
Up Next
Tuskegee now turns its attention to its next matchup against Kentucky State on Tuesday, November 25 at 2:00 p.m., as the Golden Tigers continue early SIAC play and look to build on the energy and resilience shown in their recent victories.

How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Women's Basketball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and  Facebook.
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