COLUMBIA, S.C. – A poor shooting night on the part of the Benedict Tigers and a determined and hustling Albany State team were too much for the Tigers to overcome as the visiting Golden Rams upset Benedict 65-51 Thursday night in the Benjamin Mays HRC Arena.

Benedict shot just 35.3 percent for the game, making only 18-of-51 shots. Marcus Goode had 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. That means the rest of the Benedict team shot 11-of-38, or 29 percent. No other Tiger scored in double figures.

Albany State shot 45.9 percent for the game, making 28-of-61 shots.

Benedict fell to 6-3 on the season, and 5-2 in the SIAC. Albany State improved to 5-5 overall and 4-4 in the SIAC.

Justin Wilcox had 16 points to lead the Golden Rams.

Albany State led by as many as seven points, 14-7, early in the first half. Benedict came back to take the lead on a couple of occasions, the final time when Goode hit a layup with 2:13 remaining for a 27-26 lead. The Golden Rams closed out the first half with six straight points to take a 32-27 lead at the half.

A pair of free throws by Goode cut the lead to 34-33 with 15:24 left in the game, but that is as close as the Tigers would get. Albany State's Jaren Harris hit a 3-pointer and the Golden Rams grew the lead to 14 points, 59-45, with 3:28 left on the clock.

Benedict returns to action on Saturday, facing Fort Valley State at home.