Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga.- Greg Mortimer had a happy homecoming as the Savannah native scored the first and last points of the game to lead visiting South Carolina State to a 56-53 win over Savannah State in Tiger Arena.
 
Mortimer, who finished with a team-high 11 points, made a layup with 19:27 on the clock in the first half and after Savannah State pulled within one point, the sophomore guard made a game ending layup at the buzzer.
 
The Bulldogs led by 20 points at the half but Savannah State started the second period with a 16-4 run to whittle their deficit to 42-34 with 13:09 left.
 
Terel Hall scored six points during the rally while Khalen Pinkett and Javaris Jenkins both hit 3-pointers.
 
A layup by Darryl Palmer put SCSU ahead by 10 but a 7-1 spurt closed the Tigers gap to 45-41 with just under nine minutes remaining.
 
The Bulldogs responded with 11 unanswered points to increase their lead to 52-41 with 5:47 left.
 
Another run by Savannah State made the score 54-53 with two seconds left. 
 
A free throw by Hall made the score 54-51. Hall missed the second free throw attempt but Brain Pearson grabbed the rebound and made a layup to close the Tigers gap to one.
 
Hall provided seven points during the run while Demarcus Bryant made a 3-pointer.
 
Hall scored 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half to lead the Tigers (6-18, 2-8). Pearson and Jenkins contributed eight rebounds apiece.
 
SSU out-rebounded the Bulldogs 44 to 33 but shot 32.8 percent from the filed and missed 12 free throws (47.8 percent).
 
South Carolina State scored the first six points of the game and used a 11-2 run to go ahead 23-11 with seven minutes on the clock.
 
A pair of free throws by Jamal Norman got SSU within 25-15 but the Bulldogs finished the period with a 13-3 spurt to take a 38-18 cushion into the half.
 
SCSU (9-17) shot 43.9 percent from the field as they led from start to finish.
 
TIP INS
Savannah State- Playing in his first game of the season, senior forward Hakeem Champaigne played for 11 minutes and contributed four points and five rebounds. SSU has now lost three home games in a row.
South Carolina State- The Bulldogs have a pair of Savannah natives on their roster. Greg Mortimer (Johnson HS) is a 6-3 sophomore and Radin Hughes (Calvary Baptist) is a 6-1 walk-on freshman.
 
UP NEXT
SSU will host Howard on Feb. 21 at 6pm
SCSU will begin a three-game home stand against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Feb, 21 at 6pm