FRANKFURT, Ky.- Savannah State played their Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon at Kentucky State's William Exum HPER Center and lost a close game to the Thorobreds, 68-63.

Amani Hamilton and Alayah Birch both had double-doubles for SSU with Hamilton finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds while Birch contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The setback drops Savannah State to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in SIAC play.

In a game that had eight ties and nine lead changes, the Lady Tigers won most of the statistical categories as they shot better from the field (41.5% to 37.5%), had more rebounds (43 to 36), more bench points (10 to 6) and scored more points in the paint (38 to 22). However, SSU made a season-high 23 turnovers.

With just under three minutes left in the first quarter and the score knotted at 16, Savannah State closed it out with a 9-1 spurt with K'lya Hankerson making three layups, Birch making a layup and Mya Byrd chipping in a free throw for a 25-17 advantage.

A layup by Birch with 3:49 remaining in the second quarter gave SSU a 29-24 edge but the Thorobreds answered with a 7-2 mini-run to tie the game at 31 as the teams went into intermission.

The Lady Tigers opened the third quarter with back-to-back baskets from Birch and Birch to go ahead 35-31 but KSU responded with six straight points to go ahead by two. 

A jumper by Jayden Boykin tied the score at 37 with 6:22 showing on the clock but Kentucky State scored the next four points and would never trail again in the contest.

KSU led 48-41 before Savannah State used a 3-pointer by Byrd and a layup by Hamilton with 1:19 left to get within two.

The Lady Tigers trailed 52-46 but a layup by Birch at the end of the third quarter sent SSU trailing by four as they entered the fourth quarter of the game.

Kentucky State started the final ten minutes with a 9-4 run to increase their lead to 61-52 with 5:28 left in the game but SSU answered with a pair of free throws from Sanai Chisolm along with a layup by Hankerson pulled Savannah State within five.

Down by eight with 3:39 remaining, SSU scored the next five points getting one free throw each from Birch and Boykin and a layup and free throw by Hamilton to slice their deficit to 64-61 at the 1:06 mark.

The teams traded free throws until KSU hit a jumper with 14 seconds left to seal their win.

Hankerson finished with 14 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Tigers and Byrd managed eight points, five rebounds and five assists. Boykin and Jazmin Thornton scored four points apiece while Kayla Grant and Chisolm added two points each.

Savannah State will continue their mid-west road swing with a trip to Wilberforce, Ohio to play Central State on Monday afternoon. 

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