Box Score COLUMBIA, S. C.- Another game. Another down to the wire finish.
 
That has been the theme for the Savannah State University men's basketball team for the past four games and their contest on January 29, 2024 was no different as they suffered a 49-47 setback from Allen University, in a game played at the John Hurst Adams Gymnasium.
 
Prior to their game at Allen, the Tigers had four games decided by a total of seven points with a one point loss to Albany State University, a two-point loss to Morehouse College, a one point loss to Clark Atlanta University and a three point win over Edward Waters University.
 
In the game with Allen, no team led by more than four points and the contest had seven ties and six lead changes.
 
Savannah State went the final five minutes without a field goal, yet they were still in position to win the game.
 
A layup by Ayjay Plain tied the contest at 42 with 5:09 left.
 
With 4:45 showing, a pair of free throws by Allen put the host team ahead 44-42 but the Tigers answered with free throws of their own to go ahead 45-44 as Michael Swift hit a free throw with 4:38 left and Jordan Mikel connected on his two shots to give SSU a one point lead with 3:58 remaining.
 
At the 2:14 mark, Chancellor Wilson's two free throw gave Savannah State a little breathing room at 47-44 but Allen was able to tie the game at 47 with one free throw from G'Shan Aldridge and two more from Talton Jones with 1:08 left.
 
Swift missed a jumper with 35 seconds left and Qua King got the rebound but Plain had the ball stolen by Jordan Edmond which led to Edmond scoring what would be the game winning layup with seven seconds left.
 
Before Edmond's layup, Allen's last field goal was a layup by Edmond with 6:43 left.
 
The Tigers had a chance to tie or win the game at the end but Wilson's 3-point attempt fell short.
 
Allen (10-9, 6-6 SIAC) finished the game shooting 66.7 percent from the free throw line but made seven of  nine shots in the second half while SSU made 10 of 13 free throw attempts in the second period and shot 81.5 percent for the game.
 
Savannah State opened the game with a 9-5 lead but Allen rallied back to tied the game at 12 and eventually take a 20-16 lead with 6:13 left.
 
The Tigers used two free throws each from Plain and Wilson to tie the game at 20.
 
With the game tied at 23, the Yellow Jackets hit a 3-pointer to take a three-point lead with 3:44 remaining.
 
Savannah State held Allen scoreless the rest of the half while Plain made two free throws with 1:22 left and Swift made a layup with 20 seconds left to send the Tigers into the locker-room ahead 27-26.
 
Zion Davis scored 10 of his team-high 13 points for the Tigers in the first half while Swift came off the bench to add 10 points.
 
Plain, King and Wilson all scored six points for Savannah State (8-9, 6-7 SIAC). Mikel added five points and Austin Lewis scored one point.
 
King had six rebounds for SSU, Plain had three assists and Davis had two steals.
 
Jones was the lone Allen player in double figures, with a game-high 14 points.
 
Savannah State will finish the month of January and end their three-game road swing with a trip back to Columbia to face Benedict College on January 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the HRC Arena.