Despite unseasonably warm temperatures on Thursday, it took a little while for Miles to really warm up against Clark Atlanta in the SIAC opener for both teams. But when the Golden Bears cranked up the thermostat on both sides of the floor in the second half, it was the Panthers who were cooked.

Miles (2-0, 1-0 SIAC) shot 50 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line in the second half while also slowing down CAU on the defensive end to erase a halftime deficit to win going away. The 85-76 win by the Golden Bears was their 19th straight win at Knox-Windham Gymnasium and the seventh win in the last 10 outings against the Panthers (1-2, 0-1).

Trailing 46-43 at halftime, Miles came out smoking to start the second half. Cameron Jernigan, who scored the final three points of the first half, scored on back-to-back possessions after the break to put the Golden Bears in front. Consecutive buckets by Najashi Tolefree and Jaden Emory closed an 11-0 run that gave Miles a 51-46 advantaged and forced CAU to burn an early timeout less than two minutes into the period.

The Panthers eventually settled down and retook the lead, although both teams battled back and forth through the middle of the second half. But with five minutes remaining and the Golden Bears down by three, the Panthers finally ran out of juice.

Emory tied the game at 69 with a 3-ball from the wing. On Miles' next possession, Tolefree drove towards CAU's 6-10 forward Kharye Cayne on the baseline, went to the other side of the lane and threw up a perfectly executed hook shot off the glass to put Miles in front with 4:27 to go. Jadyn Shider would score on the other end to tie the game but on Miles' next possession, it was Tyon Thompson with the big shot. He took a cross-court feed from Emory (nine points, three rebounds) and melted CAU with a 3-pointer that gave the Golden Bears a 74-71 advantage. Miles would not trail again.

Jernigan had a big slam with under a minute remaining and Miles knocked down nearly all of its free throws, going 7-of-8 in the final two minutes and  22-of-25 for the game to hold off the Panthers.

Shider had 20 points and Sam Kodi added 14 points to pace CAU. Tolefree (game-high 24 points), Jernigan (19 points, nine rebounds, four blocks), Thompson (15 points, four assists) and David Williams (eight points, nine assists) were the top contributors for Miles, which hosts Fort Valley State on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.