Women's Basketball 3/1/2023 6:06:00 PM

Tigers, Lady Tigers Open SIAC Tournament On Thursday

WHAT: 2E Savannah State WBB vs. 6E Edward Waters
2023 SIAC Championship | Quarterfinals
WHEN: Thursday, March 2 @ 12 p.m.
WHERE: Tiger Arena
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM (ESPN+)
TICKETS/INFO
PARKING

WHAT: 2E Savannah State MBB vs. 6E Benedict
2023 SIAC Championship | Quarterfinals
WHEN: Thursday, March 2 @ 5 p.m.
WHERE: Tiger Arena
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM (ESPN+)
TICKETS/INFO
PARKING

SAVANNAH, Ga.– For the first time in its hundred and twenty year athletic history, Savannah State University is hosting a conference basketball tournament on their home court.

Since Saturday, Tiger Arena has hosted the opening rounds of the 2023 TIAA Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Tournament Presented By Cricket.

Tomorrow, both Savannah State basketball teams will get their shot after watching 17 games play out between conference opponents over the last five days with plenty of upsets and some predicable wins.

At 12 p.m. Savannah State women's basketball, the No. 2 seed out of the SIAC East Division, will face Edward Waters, the No. 6 seed out of the SIAC East.

Following a 2:30 p.m. game between the women's teams of Miles (2W) and Fort Valley State (7W), the Savannah State men's basketball team—the defending SIAC Champions—will take the court at 5 p.m.

The Savannah State men's team, the No. 2 seed out of the East Division will face the No. 6 seed out of the East Division, Benedict, in a repeat of the 2022 SIAC Championship Game—which SSU won, 76-62, to claim the school's first SIAC men's basketball title since 1981.

Savannah State's long history in the SIAC began in 1969 when the school shifted from the Southeastern Athletic Conference (SEAC) to the SIAC as an NAIA school. They elevated to NCAA Division III and then Division II while a member of the SIAC through 2001 winning several basketball titles on the way.

Savannah State then moved to NCAA Division I in 2001 and later joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) before moving back to Division II in 2019 and rejoining the SIAC.

The Tigers have been playing SIAC conference teams for over six decades. And now, in 2023, those long rivals circle back to Tiger Arena, 54 years after Savannah State first joined the SIAC.

Drawing the No. 2 seeds, both Savannah State teams earned a double-round bye and will open their tournament appearance in the quarterfinals against teams who have each played two games.

Of the two SSU games on Thursday, the men draw the hardest team. Savannah State and Benedict met twice this season. In their first meeting on Jan. 25 in Tiger Arena, the Tigers squeaked out a 58-54 win. Three days later, Benedict won game two 69-64.

Eleik Bowles and Ayjay Plain each had solid games against Benedict this year. Bowles scored 15 in the first game and 14 in the second game. Plain put up 12 in Tiger Arena and then led the Tigers in game two with 18.

In the opening round, Benedict beat Central State (7W) 79-67 on Saturday advancing to the next round where they met LeMoyne-Owen (3W).

The Magicians led for most of the game, but Benedict came back in the last few seconds. Gob Gabriel hit a three-pointer with 1.6 seconds to play, handing the Tigers from Columbia an 82-81 win and a chance at the quarterfinals.

For the first game on Thursday, the Savannah State women will face a tournament-hardened Edward Waters team who pulled out a big upset on Tuesday in Tiger Arena.

The Lady Tigers met their regional and divisional rivals twice this season. In January, they beat Edward Waters 73-62 in Tiger Arena. In February, they traveled to Jacksonville and picked up a 69-64 win there.

Jashiyah Jones, Nyla Allen and Bria Gibbs put up strong numbers in Jacksonville. Jones led with 19 while Allen and Gibbs put away 18 each. In their first meeting, it was Gibbs and Mia Goolsby who led with 19 points each.

Gibbs is looking at a special career moment in Thursday's game. Over Gibbs five-year career in college—including two years at Presbyterian College—she's racked up 991 total career points and will hope to eclipse 1,000 against Edward Waters on Thursday.

Edward Waters drew Spring Hill (7W) in the opening round on Sunday. They beat them 72-64 to advance to the second round. On Tuesday, they upset Kentucky State (3W), 67-62, to advance to the quarterfinals.

In the single-elimination tournament, both Savannah State teams will be vying for a chance at the semifinal rounds played on Friday in Tiger Arena and, of course, the championship games set for Saturday.

Tomorrow's games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats can be found at ssuathletics.com. Tickets for the games can be found at thesiac.com. Parking can be found at ssuathletics.com/tickets.

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Players Mentioned

#32 Eleik Bowles: F; 6' 4"; Junior

#3 Mia Goolsby: G; 5' 2"; Sophomore

#20 Nyla Allen: G; 5' 2"; Freshman

#22 Bria Gibbs: C; 6' 0"; Junior

#2 Ayjay Plain: G; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#5 Jashiyah Jones: G; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#32 Eleik Bowles
: 6' 4"; Junior
: F

#3 Mia Goolsby
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: G

#20 Nyla Allen
: 5' 2"; Freshman
: G

#22 Bria Gibbs
: 6' 0"; Junior
: C

#2 Ayjay Plain
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Jashiyah Jones
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G