A free throw on a technical foul with 4.86 seconds remaining was the difference as Arkansas-Pine Bluff escaped with a 45-44 win over Prairie View A&M on Saturday night.

Senior guard Jayrn Johnson started the game off with a bang as the Dallas native dunked it in from the baseline as a team effort over the first eight minutes extended the lead to 9-4 following Admassu Williams' two free throws at the 12:51 mark.

The turnover bug would hit the Panthers as they committed three over the next minute as UAPB regained a 10-9 advantage with 10:46 left.  Offensively, the Panthers hit a brick a wall as they missed their next 10 shots over the next seven minutes as Karim York's two free throws would mark the only score as UAPB opened up a 17-10 lead.

Zach Hamilton's layup ended the scoring drought and the Panthers narrowed the gap to 19-15 after Johnson's trey with 1:59 remaining. However, a PVAMU turnover and UAPB offensive rebound led to a 21-15 lead and 6-0 run en route to a 25-15 Golden Lion lead.

Two treys by Johnson to open the second half ignited a 6-0 surge as the Panthers drew to 25-21 less than two minutes in.  With Johnson's much-needed offense, the Panthers stepped up their defensive pressure and held UAPB to only four points in the first eight minutes.  During that span, Johnson once again made headlines as his dunk off a Tevin Bellinger missed basket knocked down a piece of the shot clock and halted play for several minutes as the Panthers were forced to play without the services of their shot clock for the remainder of the game.

Despite the lack of a shot clock, the Panthers kept on charging as Bellinger's basket cut the deficit to 29-28 at the 12:54 mark and the team remained at the top of its game defensively as UAPB finally scored its sixth point of the half right before the 10-minute mark.  The Panthers would counter with Bellinger's layup in the paint to remain down by one but UAPB hit its second consecutive basket on the ensuing possession to remain on top by one.

Bellinger continued his high level of play with a game-tying trey (33-33) and a missed UAPB basket led to a nifty post move under the basket from Williams for a 35-33 PVAMU lead at the 8:18 mark.

UAPB scoring leader Ghiavonni Robinson hit a wide open trey from the left corner to knot the contest at 37-all with 5:26 remaining.  The Panthers missed a three-pointer on the next possession and UAPB regained a 39-37 lead as Marquis Cunningham hit a jumper from the free throw line.  An untimely turnover by PVAMU with 4:34 left gave the ball back to UAPB and they took advantage as JoVaughn Love beat his defender off the dribble for a 41-37 lead.

The Panthers overcame two missed free throws as Zach Hamilton's huge offensive rebound led to two more free throws from Bellinger and a 41-39 deficit.  Williams would hit 1-of-2 free throws to close the gap to 41-40 with 2:22 remaining and Bellinger put the Panthers back ahead 42-41 with a basket in the paint as the clock read 1:33.

However, an untimely PVAMU foul while UAPB's Ghiavonni Robinson attempted an off-balanced three-pointer led to a 42-all tie as Robinson hit 1-of-3 free throws at the 1:18 mark.  Johnson would come up with a big steal on UAPB's offensive possession and Bellinger was fouled on his shot attempt and hit both free throws with 10 seconds left as PVAMU led 44-42.

Despite Bellinger's baskets, the momentum was short-lived as UAPB's Charles Jackson banked in a running jumper and tied the contest with 4.8 seconds remaining.  On the inbounds play, the Panthers were whistled for a technical foul as a timeout was called when the team didn't have any remaining.  Jackson hit the second of two free throws to move UAPB on top and it was just enough as Bellinger's last second layup attempt was blocked in the paint.

Bellinger led PVAMU with 17 points while Johnson finished with 13 points and six rebounds.  Karim York was the top rebounder with seven. 

The Panthers are back in action Monday night as they'll host Mississippi Valley State at 7:30 p.m. inside the Baby Dome.