ORANGEBURG, S.C. – In the season opener for both squads the Auburn Montgomery men's basketball team dropped a 91-59 decision to home-standing Claflin University on Friday evening, as a part of the 2017 Gulf South Conference/Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge.
 
NOTES
• AUM drops to 0-1 to start the season while Claflin improves to 1-0.
• The game was the first meeting between the two schools since the 1997-98 season, a 79-76 overtime victory for the Panthers.
• The Warhawks drop their first game of the season for the second consecutive year.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• AUM's Desmond DeRamus scored a team-high 16 points in the contest with eight rebounds and two assists.
• Senior guard Reagan Eubanks netted 10 for the Warhawks.
• Claflin's Jaleel Charles tallied a game-high 19 points, securing a double-double with 13 rebounds (12 defensive).
• Kobie Williams came off the bench to score 18 for the Panthers in 14 minutes of action.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
• Eubanks opened the scoring in the contest when he hit a jumper at the 18:36 mark in the first half to give AUM and early 2-0 advantage.
• Claflin would gain the lead over the next five minutes, with Antoine Pitts hitting a jump shot to cut the advantage to 10-9 with 13:35 to go before half.
• The Panthers would close out the half on a 28-to-9 run to take a 38-18 into the break.
• Claflin started the second half as they had finished the first, reeling off 11 straight points before Eubanks put the Warhawks on the board with a tip in with 17:00 to play.
• A 3-pointer by Williams with 12:51 to play would give Claflin its largest lead of the night at 65-27.
• AUM would outscore the Panthers 32-26 the rest of the way.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 
• AUM outscored Claflin 24-7 in points off turnovers.
• The Panthers outscored AUM 40-20 in the paint.
• Claflin won the rebounding battle, 46-38.
• The Panthers tallied 22 assists to just six for the Warhawks.
 
QUOTABLE
"Claflin came out prepared and took the fight to us," said AUM head coach Micheal Cheaney. "We're going to have to do a better job of preparation as coaches and players. Claflin is well coached and they have big guys that shoot the ball well. They shared the ball well as a team and we're still working on that."
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will take on Benedict College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as a part of the GSC/SIAC Challenge. The Tigers opened the tournament with an 86-74 victory over the University of Montevallo on Friday afternoon.
 
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