SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State opened the 2025 SIAC Tournament with a first round 66-47 win over Kentucky State on Saturday afternoon in Tiger Arena.

SSU was the fourth seed coming out of the SIAC East while the Thorobreds were the fifth seed in the SIAC West.

The win snapped a five game losing skid by the Lady Tigers as well as avenged a 68-63 road setback to KSU on November 30, 2024.

Jayden Boykin matched a career-high with 17 points to lead Savannah State. The freshman from Franklin, Georgia also had seven steals, five rebounds and four assists.

SSU trailed 10-7 with two minutes left in the first quarter but finished strong getting two free throws from Sanai Chisholm, a jumper from Mya Byrd and a 3-pointer from Myasia Jones to go ahead 14-12.

Savannah State went ahead by nine with six minutes left in  the second quarter before KSU sliced their deficit to six but back-to-back layups by Jazmin Thornton put the Lady Tigers ahead 30-20 with 3:24 left.

SSU led 32-22 at the half.

A pair of free throws and a jumper by Boykin expanded the SSU lead to 14 early in the third quarter but after the Thorobreds made the score 36-26, SSU answered with two free throws by Boykin, a layup by Raven Birt and two free throws by Byrd to go ahead by 16.

KSU (9-18, 8-11 SIAC) could not get any closer than 12 in the fourth quarter and with 3:26 remaining, a 3-pointer by Jones gave Savannah State a 55-37 advantage.

SSU finished the contest with six unanswered points with Jaliyah Harper, Ansley Hicks and Chisholm all making two free throws apiece.

Harper had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Tigers while Jones added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Byrd chipped in nine points, five rebounds and four assists, Thornton had six points, four rebounds and three blocks, Chisholm had five points and four assists, Hicks scored four points and Birt scored two.

Savannah State (12-14, 7-12 SIAC) will play Miles, the number one seed in the SIAC West, in the SIAC quarterfinals on March 5 at Morehouse in Atlanta.

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