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Savannah State University Athletics

Sarah Peacock
Photo by Sarah Peacock
64
Voorhees VHU 0-1
69
Winner Savannah State SSUM 1-0,0-0 SIAC
Voorhees VHU
0-1
64
Final
69
Savannah State SSUM
1-0,0-0 SIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Voorhees VHU 27 37 64
Savannah State SSUM 27 42 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Tigers Open Season With Thriller

Savannah, Ga.– Savannah State opened their new season on Tuesday in a similar fashion to how they ended last season: with a thrilling finish. 
 
With five minutes to play in the game, Savannah State led by a few points. But Voorhees, who already had seven games under their belt, were not going away quietly.  

Savannah State began to struggle on offense, turning the ball over four consecutive times on bad passes in the final five minutes. Voorhees took advantage.

Kristian Ford hit a short jumper in the paint to tie the game at 59 with 2:26 to play. With 1:54 to play, Ford netted a drop-back three-pointer to give the visitors a 62-59 lead. His bench poured onto the floor to celebrate. Tiger Arena went quiet.

Then returning Savannah State guard Eleik Bowles took over.

Bowles pulled back and drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 62 with 1:53 to play. The Savannah native followed that with a layup in the paint, drawing a foul on his way up, as the arena erupted in cheers and Savannah State took back the lead.

Bowles hit the free-throw and the Tigers were up by three with 1:11 to play.

Voorhees missed a long pull-up jumper and Larson Ashford brought down the rebound. On the other end, Ashford made the layup for a 5-point Savannah State advantage, all but sealing up the win with only :34 ticks to play.

Ayjay Plain went 3-of-4 at the charity stripe in the last 15 seconds for the final 69-64 score.
 
1
Zion Davis sinks a layup. [Photo by Sarah Peacock]


Much like the 2021-2022 season, the thrilling end began with a disappointing start.

Savannah State opened the game with a nice 7-2 run for an early lead. But Voorhees adjusted on defense, holding the Tiger scoreless for three minutes as they put away nine consecutive for a four-point advantage.

Midway through the opening half, it got ugly for the Tigers. Voorhees took an 11-point lead (22-11) at the 7:58 mark. Savannah State had trouble penetrating into the paint and Voorhees seemed to be hitting the mark every time.

Savannah State bounced back with a 10-0 run sparked by two good free-throws from Ashford, followed by buckets from Bowles, as well as newcomers Zion Davis and Chancellor Wilson. But they still trailed.

In the final minute, Ashford sank a jump shot on a fast break and Bowles put away back-to-back field goals to tie the game up at 27 into the locker room.

Bowles led the field with 23 points on the night, shooting 10-for-17 from the floor and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. He led SSU in rebounds with seven. Plain scored 12 points and Ashford added 10 in the win.

Savannah State improved their field goal percentage to 65% in the second half from a dismal 32% in the opening half.

The Tigers continue the 2022-23 season with three road games before returning to Tiger Arena next month. They face Flagler College on Nov. 22, Kentucky State on Nov. 26 and Central State on Nov. 28.

 
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