ALBANY, Ga.- Albany State University went the final five minutes of the game without a field goal but it was a pair of free throws by Terin Wofford with 11 seconds left that proved to be the game winner as the Rams defeated Savannah State University 49-48 in a game played on January 15, 2024 in the Jones Brothers HPER Complex.
 
The game had six ties and three lead changes.
 
ASU led by seven with 10:24 remaining in the second half but a 3-pointer and a jumper by Zion Davis along with a layup by Chancellor Wilson knotted the score at 40 with just under seven minutes left.
 
The game was also tied at 42 but the Rams took a 46-42 lead with 5:08 left thanks to a free throw by Wofford and a 3-pointer by Shakur Poteat.
 
SSU responded with two free throws from Ayjay Plain and a inside jumper by Jordan Mikel to tie the game at 46 with 3:31 showing on the clock.
 
A free throw by Albany State gave the Rams a one point lead with 2:40 left but 19 seconds later a layup by Mikel put the Tigers back in front, 48-47.
 
With 11 seconds remaining, SSU's Michael Swift fouled Wofford which sent him to the free throw line. Wofford made both shots which gave the Rams the one point lead.
 
Plain attempted the game winning shot for the Tigers with two seconds left but it was blocked by Jordan Simpson and ASU escaped with the victory.
 
The loss drops Savannah State to 7-6 overall and 5-4 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
Savannah State led 7-4 in the first half and then exploded for a 10-1 run to increase their advantage to 17-5 with 8:37 left. During the SSU surge, four different Tigers scored with Swift scoring four and Chancellor Wilson, Plain and Qua King adding two each.
 
The Tigers led by 11 with 5:40 on the clock but ASU finished the half with a 13-4 run.
 
Savannah State led 25-23 at intermission.
 
The Rams (7-8, 5-4 SIAC) began the second half with a 7-1 spurt to take a 30-26 lead but Savannah State responded to tie the game at 30 with 15:57 remaining following layups by Davis and Mikel.
 
Plain was the lone Tiger in double figures with 12 points. He also had three assists and a game-high six steals.
 
Mikel and Wilson scored nine points each.Mikel also had a game-high and career-high 11 rebounds while Wilson add five rebounds and four steals.
 
Davis chipped in seven points and four rebounds, Swift scored six points and King contributed seven rebounds and five points, to round out the SSU scoring.
 
The Tigers scored 29 points off 24 ASU turnovers, had 11 second chance points and edged Albany State on the boards, 32 to 29.
 
Poteat had 13 points for Albany State.
 
Savannah State will face Clark Atlanta University in Tiger Arena on January 22 at 7:30 p.m.