ehind a 28-point effort from senior Gerard Andrus, Prairie View A&M men's basketball halted a five-game skid with a 78-72 overtime victory versus Central Arkansas Saturday evening at the California Baptist University Events Center.

The contest was a part of the 2K Empire Classic.

Andrus, who was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts, also accounted for eight boards, two steals and two blocks. Senior Darius Williams scored 10 points with four steals, and junior Lennell Henry grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds while scoring seven points, making three steals and swatting a pair of shots.

The Panthers were able to impose their will on the interior, outscoring Central Arkansas 42-24 in the paint. Additionally, the Prairie View A&M (2-5) second unit came on strong, holding a 30-13 advantage in bench points.

Trailing by as many as 11 in the second half, the Panthers jumped on the comeback trail as senior Chancellor Ellis and sophomore Tamir Bynum powered a 5-0 spurt to bring Prairie View A&M in striking distance. The Panthers chipped away at the deficit until back-to-back jumpers from Andrus capped a 15-4 run and tied the game at 45 with 11:36 left.

The Bears continued to stay in front, but Andrus refused to let the Panthers, ultimately scoring 16 points in the second half. Central Arkansas appeared poised to escape with the win up 63-59 with nine seconds left in regulation, but junior Dajuan Madden knocked down a basket and Andrus came up with a game-tying slam in the final moments to force overtime.

After Andrus tied it at 68 with 3:35 left in extra time, the Panthers ran away with the game thanks to a 10-4 run keyed by baskets from Andrus and junior Jonathan Jackson as well as clutch free-throw shooting from Bynum.

The Panthers shot 37 percent in the game, limiting the Bears to a 38 percent clip in the game. With the win, Prairie View A&M is 3-3 in the state of California under coach Byron Smith.  Andrus was also named to the 2K Empire Classic All-Tournament Team.

Next Up:
The Panthers enjoy a week off before returning to the court on Nov. 30 to face Texas-San Antonio on the road.