SAVANNAH, Ga. – After a six-game losing streak to open the season, the Savannah State men's basketball is hot.
 
The Tigers finished this week with two major Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) wins in Tiger Arena. The young team is now on a four-game winning streak.
 
In a thrilling double overtime win on Saturday, the Tigers beat Benedict College 108-98 to push ahead of them in the SIAC East Division standings. On Monday, Savannah State pounced Paine with an 81-57 victory in Tiger Arena.

Benedict had the edge on Saturday with 6 seconds to play. SSU had one possession and hardly any time. On a quick break down the court, Zion Williams pumped the ball out to Marcus Scott and the true freshman lifted off from beyond the arc, drilling a 3-pointer to tie the game at 75 as the buzzer sounded and Tiger Arena came alive.
 
The officials reviewed the shot, fearing it might have only been a two-pointer. But replay confirmed the call—it was a long ball and teams marched into overtime.
 
With 33 seconds to play in the first overtime period, Trey DeLoach drained a layup for an 85-83 SSU lead. But Benedict wasn't done. Joseph Staton responded in kind with a short jumper to tie the game with 7 seconds ticking away.
 
It was all SSU in the final overtime period, as the Tigers outscored Benedict 23-13 to claim their fourth SIAC victory of the season.
 
Not only did Scott save the game but he had his best outing of the season, leading the entire field with a season-best 29 points. The true freshman from Hinesville, Ga. hit 9-of-15 field goals and 6-of-9 3-point attempts.
 
DeLoach, a force on offense for SSU since becoming eligible during the winter break, had a season-high 25 points as well in the win. Adrian Bonds, who leads the Tigers in scoring this season put away 19 and Williams added 14 of his own in the win column.
 
Andrew Okorodudu had an outstanding defensive game, pulling down a season-high 14 rebounds.
 
On Monday, SSU's top scorers continued to do what they do best. Scott led the field again, scoring 25 points in the 81-57 smack down. Avery Joyner had one of his best games this season, putting up 15 points. Bonds added 14 and Williams tacked on 13 for good measure.
 
The Tigers shot 48.3% from the field on Monday and 51.6% from beyond the arc, hitting 16-of-31 field goal attempts and 16-of-31 3-point attempts—their best 3-point shooting of the season. As a team, SSU is one of the top scoring teams in the SIAC, averaging 79.0 points a game.
 
Savannah State improves to 5-8 on the season and 5-5 in conference action. They return to the court on Feb. 1 to take on Albany State in Albany, Ga. They play Morehouse in Atlanta on Feb. 3 and then host Morehouse on Feb. 8 in Tiger Arena.
 

TIGER BITES:

• At halftime of the men's game on Monday, seven SSU football players were honored in a ceremony for making the SIAC All-Conference Team. Einaj Carter, Giovanni Lugo, Jontae Baker, Cam Brown, Walter Yates, Tajavious Jackson, and Ny'em Bozeman were handed their SIAC awards by head football coach Shawn Quinn and Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki.

 

• At tip-off of the men's game, both Paine and Savannah State paid homage to legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant with intentional 24-second shot clock violations. Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.