ROCK HILL, S.C. -- When a team has lost only four games by a combined 12 points - as Miles has done this season - it is hard to believe that any opponent has figured it out.

But Clark Atlanta may have just been that team this season for Miles. The Golden Bears biggest loss was a five-point road defeat to CAU back in December and in the final moments of Friday's SIAC Tournament semifinal, the Panthers were in a position to put an end to Miles' dominant campaign.

But then, Golden Bears head coach Fred Watson had a strategic epiphany before his team finally earned its second straight berth in the SIAC championship game with a 65-59 win over the Panthers at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center.

"At the end of the game, I just had to get out of the way and let these guys make plays," Watson said. "They were on top of our stuff, we were on top of their stuff. So at the the end of the game, I just told them that somebody had to make a play.

"We made one more play than they did and we got the win."

That play came in the form of a cold-blooded stepback 3-pointer from junior marksman Jelani Watson-Gayle. When he pulled the pin on his long-range grenade to give Miles a two-possession lead with 37.4 seconds left, it set off an explosion of elation for the Golden Bears (23-4) and detonated the upset plans of the Panthers (14-16).

"We needed a cushion. The game was too close. Any simple mistake or miss could've swung the momentum the other way. So i just had the confidence and shot it, to be honest with you," said Watson-Gayle, who dropped a game-high 20 points to go with six rebounds.

Miles led by eight points early in the second half but could never put CAU away. The Panthers needed double overtime to dispatch Central State less than 24 hours before and Watson had hoped to use that to the Golden Bears advantage. But it was evident that Clark Atlanta had other ideas.

"They seemed a little more energetic today. It didn't seem like they played a double overtime game last night," said senior guard Frank Royles.

When Tyler Singleton (13 points) scored with 7:09 remaining in the game, CAU grabbed a one-point lead and would hold that advantage wth 4:21 to go. But the Miles defense was finally able to clamp down on the Panthers, who went nearly seven minutes before they made another shot from the field. But when Clark Atlanta did make the basket - a 3-pointer by Justin Longstreet (15 points)  - the Golden Bears still held just a slim 61-59 advantage.

But Royles (13 poins, six rebounds) would calmly go to the line and knock down all four of his free throws to close out the Panthers and put Miles in position to net another league title and trip to the NCAA Tournament, something that would mean the world to the team - especially those who weren't on last year's squad..

"We had a meeting at the start of the year, before we could start practicing. Coach pulled all the seniors to the side and told us he was going to get us a championship. As long as we buy in and do what we need to do, he was going to get us a championship," Royles said. "I ain't never had one and I want one." 

Romaine Thomas had 16 points and seven rebounds to lead Clark Atlanta. Avery Brown had 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks while Umar Frost added four points and seven rebounds for Miles, who will play Albany State for the league title on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.