WILBERFORCE, Ohio — In front of a season-high crowd of 1,794 at Beacom/Lewis Gym—and with the spotlight on during HBCU Go Rivalry Week—Central State delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, pulling away in the second half for an 80–68 win over Kentucky State on Saturday afternoon.
After a tight opening 20 minutes, CSU carried a 33–30 edge into the break, then turned the game with a dominant second half on both ends. The Marauders shot 60.6% after halftime and repeatedly won the paint, finishing with a 54–38 advantage in points in the paint. Central State also capitalized on mistakes at the right time, turning defense into offense with a 23–15 edge in points off turnovers and 14 fast-break points.
Offensively, the Marauders were powered by a balanced attack with three players reaching 17+ points. Javantae Randle led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Micah Bays was ultra-efficient with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding energy plays that fueled key runs. Ramar Pryor matched Bays with 17 points, continuing his strong stretch in SIAC play. Central State also got steady production from Khalil Luster (10 points) as the bench provided timely minutes and scoring, winning the reserve battle 16–18 in a game where CSU's efficiency and physicality were the difference.
Kentucky State was paced by Gregory Melvin's 19 points, but Central State's second-half surge—and the home crowd's energy—proved too much to overcome.
With the win, Central State improves to 8–7 overall and 7–6 in the SIAC, keeping momentum rolling as the Marauders continue to get hot at the right time. Three huge road games and a long road trip this week will prove large for the Marauders run in the SIAC.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com.