FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11-24-00

Men's Basketball: Armstrong Atlantic State 93, Clark Atlanta 88

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior Cyrille Mainnemarre led six Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball players in double figures with 17 points as the Pirates held off Clark Atlanta, 93-88, in college basketball action on Friday evening.

All five starters for the Pirates (4-2) scored in double figures as Mainnemarre went 8-of-11 from the floor for AASU. Senior Tavares Brown added 16 points while senior Robert Campbell and junior David Koncul chipped in 15 points apiece in helping the Pirates to their third straight victory.

AASU jumped out to a 47-34 lead at halftime after shooting 68 percent from the floor in the first half and holding Clark Atlanta (1-1) to just 38 percent, but the Panthers rallied back behind the three-point shooting of William Rice, who hit 6-of-13 treys for 22 points, and the inside game of Ronald Thompson, who scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down 17 rebounds before fouling out with 10 seconds remaining.

A Panther basket by Roy Patrick Banion cut the AASU lead – which was as large as 13 points with 3:53 remaining – to just four, 92-88, with 10 seconds left. Two missed free throws by the Pirates gave Clark Atlanta the ball back but Rice missed on a three-point shot with five ticks left on the clock and the Panthers could not get off another good shot.

The Pirates' next action comes at home against Presbyterian College on Wed., Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Arena.

- Pirates -