SAVANNAH, Ga.-  Ayjay Plain had a double-double to lead Savannah State to a 79-74 win over Spring Hill in the first round of the 2025 SIAC Basketball Championships presented by Cricket at Tiger Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Plain finished the game with ten rebounds and a career-high 27 points for the Tigers. He also had five assists and two steals.

Savannah State is the fourth seed in the SIAC East and Spring Hill is the fifth seed in the SIAC West.

During the season, Spring Hill defeated SSU 86-70.

With just under six minutes left in the first half, the Badgers led by six but a 9-0 run by SSU put the Tigers in front 24-21.

A late 3-pointer at the end of the first half sent Spring Hill into intermission with a 28-26 lead.

Down by one with 8:58 remaining in the game, a pair of free throws by Qua King gave the Tigers a 49-48 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

SSU used free throws to build a 68-58 lead with 1:20 left but the Badgers (9-18, 7-13 SIAC) could never get any closer than five.

King scored 11 points for the Tigers while Jaydon Cousin came off the bench to add ten.

Jeremiah Barze scored nine, Javonte Landy and Michael Swift had six each, Jordan Mikel scored four and Austin Lewis and Jerry Maxinaud chipped in three points apiece.

The Tigers (15-11, 12-9 SIAC)  will face Miles, the top seed in the SIAC West, on March 5 at Morehouse in the quarterfinals.

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