JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Savannah State men's basketball team got back into the win column, after their hard fought 62-59 victory over Edward Waters, in a game played on January 27, 2024 in the Adams-Jenkins Complex.
 
Savannah State led by 14 early in the second period only to see Edward Waters use a 21-6 run to tie the game at 41 with 11:38 remaining.
 
EWU went ahead 52-47 with 5:25 left but Savannah State answered with a 8-2 spurt to take a 55-54 lead at the 3:28 mark.
 
Edward Waters led 59-57 with 1:12 left but a free throw by Ayjay Plain drew SSU within one with 59 seconds showing on the clock.
 
With 21 seconds left, Chancellor Wilson knocked down two free throws that gave Savannah State a 60-59 edge.
 
EWU had a chance to pull out the win in the closing seconds but their shots would not fall. RJ Noord missed a 3-pointer but Jeremiah Kwarteng got the rebound and attempted a layup but it bounced off the rim. Plain got the rebound and was fouled by Adonis Tolbert.
 
Plain connected on two free throws with a second left to preserve the win which halted the Tigers three game losing skid.
 
Plain led Savannah State with game-highs in points (21) and rebounds (9). Sophomore guard Javonte Landy came off the bench to spark the Tigers with a career-high 12 points.
 
SSU held a 13-8 advantage in the first period before scoring eight unanswered points to expand their lead to 21-8.
 
Plain jump started the run with a 3-pointer which was followed by a free throw by Landy, a jumper by Plain and two more free throws by Landy with 9:29 remaining.
 
Edward Waters was able to whittle their deficit down to six with just under six minutes left but back-to-back baskets by Plain and Qua King plus two free throws by King opened up a 31-19 cushion with 3:40 left.
 
Savannah State led 33-12 at the break.
 
A jumper by Plain to start the second period gave SSU their largest lead of the evening at 35-21.
 
The result was Edward Waters putting together their big run to find their way back into the game.
 
Savannah State won the battle of the boards, getting 40 rebounds while EWU grabbed 30.
 
SSU also had 22 second chance points and out-scored Edward Waters in the paint, 34 to 22. The Savannah State reserves scored 25 points while the EWU bench players had 14 points.
 
The crowd of 1,021 witnessed a game that had four ties and seven lead changes.
 
Three members on the Savannah State roster hail from Jacksonville. Freshman Jordan Mikel had a good showing in front of his family and friends with ten points and eight rebounds while fellow freshman Michael Swift added four points. Junior guard Austin Lewis was in the Tigers starting lineup and did not score but he did dish out two assists.
 
Wilson chipped in nine points and five rebounds for the winners while King added six points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Goliath Mitchell and Kristian Ford both had 11 points for Edward Waters (8-11, 7-5 SIAC).
 
Savannah State (8-8, 5-6 SIAC) will be back on the road on January 29 as they travel to Columbia, South Carolina to take on Allen at 7:30 p.m.