GAME CENTRAL
Game 1
No. 10 Savannah State University Lady Tigers (13-4, 9-3 SIAC)
Vs.
Benedict College Lady Tigers (7-11, 5-7 SIAC)
TIME: 5:30 p.m., Jan. 25, 2023
LOCATION: Savannah, Ga. | Tiger Arena
GAME DAY INFORMATION
TICKETS ($10-$50)
PARKING: (Free)
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM
SSU ROSTER
SSU SCHEDULE
SSU STATISTICS
SSU QUICK FACTS
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL: @SavStateTigers
HASHTAGS: #HailSSU | #SSU
Savannah State women's basketball continues to lead the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division down the final stretch of their regular season schedule.
Today, the Lady Tigers close out a three-game homestand against their fiercest foe of last season. The Lady Tigers will fight for the No. 1 seed into the 2023 SIAC Championship Presented by Cricket—which will be hosted by Savannah State in Tiger Arena Feb. 25-March 4.
Savannah State made their way back into the D2SIDA South Region Poll last week in the No. 10 spot. In the SIAC East Division standings, Savannah State leads with a 9-3 conference record followed by Clark Atlanta (8-4) and Benedict (5-7) and Allen (5-7). Tuskegee leads the SIAC West with a 12-0 conference record.
LAST GAME
Over the last few seasons, it's been a tall order to beat Savannah State women's basketball in Tiger Arena. That remained true this week, in a pair of home Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) games in Savannah.
The Lady Tigers picked up their 12th and 13th wins of the season, beating Edward Waters, 73-62, on Saturday and Allen, 74-55, on Monday to improve to 13-4 overall and 9-3 in SIAC action. Since the 2019-2020 season, the Lady Tigers are 33-5 in Tiger Arena. This season, they are 7-1. (READ MORE HERE)
PLAYER OUTLOOK
Savannah State has juggled personnel this year due to eligibility issues and injuries. However, the veterans remain stalwarts in the statistics.
The Lady Tigers are led by point guard #20 Nyla Allen who is putting away 14.6 points a game. Junior guard #23 Amari Heard is right there, averaging 14.5 points a game. Senior forward #22 Bria Gibbs is averaging 13.5 points a game and bringing down a team-high 7.9 boards an outing.
LAST GAME vs. BENEDICT
Since returning to the SIAC and Division II in 2019, Savannah State's biggest problem has been Benedict. In their nearly flawless 2021-2022 season, the Lady Tigers lost only three games. Two of those were to Benedict.
The last time the programs played each other was on March 5, 2022 in the 2022 SIAC Championship game. Savannah State lost 69-71 to finish runner-up at the tournament in a heartbreaking conclusion to a magnificent regular season run.
OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
The reigning SIAC Champions did not return to form this season after losing their top four scorers to graduation. Benedict is 7-11 overall this season and are 5-7 in conference action.
The Tigers from Columbia, S.C. enter tonight's game on a four-game winning streak, however, after picking road dubs at Edward Waters, Allen, Fort Valley State and Albany State.
They are led this year by a pair of graduate students. #3 Mahogany Randall (12.4 p/g) and #5 Malayah Montgomery (11.0 p/g) have been key. Center Taylor Christmas is also putting away double digit numbers, averaging 10.1 points a game.
Game 2
Savannah State University Tigers (12-5, 10-3 SIAC)
Vs.
Benedict College Tigers (11-7, 9-4 SIAC)
TIME: 7:30 p.m., Jan. 25, 2023
LOCATION: Savannah, Ga. | Tiger Arena
GAME DAY INFORMATION
TICKETS ($10-$50)
PARKING: (Free)
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM
SSU ROSTER
SSU SCHEDULE
SSU QUICK FACTS
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL: @SavStateTigers
HASHTAGS: #HailSSU | #SSU
The reigning SIAC Champions will have to defend home court once again from their 2022 conference nemesis, Benedict.
In the new year, the Tigers are 7-1 overall with their only loss of 2023 coming against Morehouse College last weekend. They currently lead the SIAC East Division standings with an 10-3 conference record.
Today, Savannah State closes a three-game homestand. They hit the road for two games before returning on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6.
LAST GAME
Savannah State defending home court this week against two divisional rivals, picking up key wins down the final stretch of the regular season. Savannah State beat a scrappy Edward Waters team in a final minute thriller, 80-78, on Saturday and then dominated Allen on Monday with a 75-54 win. Savannah State is 9-0 on home court this season. (READ MORE HERE)
PLAYER OUTLOOK
Senior forward Eleik Bowles has topped most of the stats this season for Savannah State. But lately, the team has got a push from guards Ayjay Plain, Za'Khari Cobb and forward Andrew Okorodudu as well Elavian Bowles.
Eleik Bowles is averaging 17.2 points a game and leads the team in field goals made (111), three-point field goals made (24), rebounds (81), steals (30), and minutes (31.8/game). Plain is averaging 9.9 points a game, while Cobb is putting away 8.1. Okorodudu is second in rebounds with 68 this season.
LAST GAME VS. BENEDICT
Savannah State men's basketball last faced off with Benedict in the 2022 SIAC Championship game on March 5, 2022. After watching the Lady Tigers fall to Benedict in the first game of the day, the Tigers came out with some attitude.
By the half, they had a ridiculous 46-15 lead en-route to a 76-62 win and the school's first SIAC men's basketball title since the 1980's. Since 2019, SSU is 3-2 against Benedict.
OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
Benedict trails SSU in the SIAC East Division standings by a single game with a 9-4 conference record. They enter tonight's game on a six-game winning streak after beating Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, Albany State, Fort Valley State, Allen and Edward Waters.
They are led by a pair of seniors. Forward Malachi McCoy is averaging 11.6 points a game and guard Brandon Smith is putting up 11.2.
