Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State won their fourth game in a row with a 70-60 overtime win over a struggling Bethune-Cookman squad in Tiger Arena.
 
The Tigers outscored B-CU 16-6 in the extra period after a free throw by Keierre Richards tied the game at 54 with 13 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
 
Richards scored the first points in overtime with a 3-pointer and SSU never looked back.
 
SSU went ahead by six before the Wildcats got within 61-57 with 1:27 left but the home team answered by limiting B-CU to just one field goal the rest of the way.
 
The crowd of 3,220 saw the Tigers improve to 4-0 in the MEAC and 6-12 overall.
 
The game had 10 ties and 17 lead changes.
 
The first period was close but with the game knotted at 18 with 2:50 left, the Wildcats closed the half with a 7-2 run to take a 25-20 lead into the half.
 
Cookman's lead grew to 32-24 after a 3-pointer by Mikel Trapp with 17:44 remaining but SSU's defense fueled a 16-7 run that allowed the Tigers to go ahead 40-39 with 9:54 left.
 
A layup by Clemmye Owens at the 6:14 mark would be the last field goal for Bethune in regulation.
 
Bethune led 51-46 with 4:20 left but back-to-back 3-pointers by Jeremiah Hill put the Tigers ahead 52-51 with 2:51 remaining.
 
A free throw by Cookman tied the game at 52 with 2:10 left but a free throw by SSU's Joshua Montgomery gave the Tigers a 53-52 edge with 1:54 on the clock.
 
Two free throws by Owens put Cookman ahead 54-53 with 42 seconds left but Richards free throw with 13 seconds left sent the game into overtime.
 
Richards made 8 of 9 free throw attempts and led SSU with 17 points. Hill had 12 points while Terel Hall came off the bench to contribute 11 points.
 
Post players Jyles Smith and Saadiq Muhamad combined for 10 points,16 rebounds and four blocks.
 
The Tigers shot 29.2 percent from the floor in the first half but warmed up to shoot 64.7 percent in the second period and 66.7 percent in overtime.
 
SSU out-rebounded Cookman 39-28.
 
Bethune (2-18, 0-5), who is on a 16-game losing streak, was led by Maurice Taylor's 15 points.
 
SSU head coach Horace Broadnax and assistants Clifford Reed and Francis Simmons are all former head coaches at Bethune-Cookman. Broadnax and Reed coached men's basketball at Cookman while Simmons served at the women's coach.