Late First-Half Run Sparks Panthers To Season-Opening Win At Santa Clara, 81-64

SANTA CLARA, California -- A decisive run late in the first half sparked the Prairie View A&M men's basketball team to an 81-64 win at Santa Clara Friday night.

Gary Blackston scored a game-high 30 points to lead four Panthers in double figures while also adding eight rebounds. Gerard Andrus scored 14 points and had seven rebounds, and Taishaun Johnson also scored 14 points and had four rebounds and six assists. Darius Williams added 10 points off the bench as PVAMU shot 53 percent from the field (31-58) and committed only nine turnovers while recording nine steals and 14 assists.

The Prairie View A&M defense was impressive in the season-opening win on the road, limiting Santa Clara to 37 percent shooting (21-57) and forced 20 turnovers.

A 23-8 run over the final seven+ minutes of the half gave Prairie View A&M an 18-point halftime lead. A pair of free throws by Andrus and a layup by Johnson started the spurt in which five different players scored. A layup by Dennis Jones just before halftime gave the Panthers a 42-24 halftime lead.

BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 1621

Andrus had eight of his 14-first half points during the run, and Blackston seven of his 13 first-half points during the run. PVAMU shot 51.5 percent from the field (17-33), while limiting Santa Clara to 33.3 percent (9-27) during the first 20 minutes.

Prairie View A&M returns to action Monday in a 7 p.m. game at Baylor. The Panther Sports Network radio broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. at pvpanthers.com/baylor, and the game will also be televised on the Fox Sports Network Alternate channel.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS