COLUMBIA, S.C. – Alexus Jones scored  five points in the second overtime, including a 3-pointer to put the Lady Tigers ahead for good, as the Benedict College women's basketball team won its seventh straight game with an 80-77 double-overtime victory over Albany State University on Thursday night in the Benjamin Mays HRC Arena.

Benedict improved to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the SIAC. LaTeia Brailey led the Lady Tigers with 18 points, while Jones added 17. Santera Grooms had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Benedict had a 15-point lead, 57-42, with 9:18 left in regulation after a 3-pointer by Bridget Williams, who finished with 12 points. Williams kept the lead at 15 with a jumper with 6:49 left to play.

Albany State, now 4-8 overall and 4-4 in the SIAC, rallied back, scoring 11 straight points to cut the lead to 61-57 with three minutes left in the contest. Jones hit a layup to break the Lady Rams' scoring streak. But Albany State's Symone Wilkerson hit a free throw and a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 63-61 with 2:21 left on the clock. April Thomas hit a 3-pointer to give Albany State a 64-63 lead with 1:08 on the clock. Brailey put Benedict back in the lead with a layup with 53 seconds left.

An offensive foul on Albany State gave the ball back to Benedict, but Brailey had her shot blocked. Then Albany State's Nicole Wilson hit one free throw, but missed the second, with 13 seconds left to tie the game. Benedict's Jones missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, Benedict's Brailey and Jones hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Lady Tigers a six-point lead, but the Lady Tigers didn't score again. Albany State's Breanna Fields hit one of two free throws with 21 seconds left to tie the game again and send the contest into a second overtime.

After Albany State pulled ahead 75-73, Jones hit a 3-pointer to put Benedict back in the lead for good at 76-75 with one minute left. She followed that with a pair of free throws with 45 seconds left to give the Lady Tigers a 78-75 lead. Albany State cut the lead to 78-77 with 23 seconds left on two free throws, but Grooms closed out the contest with a pair of free throws.

Thomas led Albany State with 23 points and Fields added 20.

Benedict returns to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Fort Valley State at home.