Box Score JACKSON, Tenn. – The Benedict College Tigers closed out the 2012 season with a 38-21 loss to the Lane College Dragons on Saturday at Lane Field.

As has been the case for most of the 2012 season, the Tigers were once again done in by turnovers. The Dragons returned an interception for a touchdown, and then followed with a fumble return for a touchdown to take a 20-0 lead in the first quarter and the Tigers were never able to recover from the large deficit.

Benedict finishes the 2012 season 1-9, 1-6 in the SIAC. Lane improves to 5-5, 3-4 in the SIAC.

“I'm very proud of this football team,” Benedict coach James Woody said. “The effort is there. We got down 20-0 and those guys fought back. The turnovers, again, they've killed us all year, along with the missed tackles and missed blocks and we couldn't come back in the game. I'm proud of these guys. They've given everything they've had to give.”

Benedict trailed 20-7 at the half after Kendariss Brown hauled in a 55-yard pass from Marcus Graham with 56 seconds on the clock. Brown dragged a Lane would-be tackler nearly 15 yards, fighting for every inch before finally crossing the goal line.

The game started off under sunny skies and a warm fall day. But shortly after halftime, dark clouds rolled overhead and unloaded heavy rains. The game was delayed for 47 minutes due to lightning in the area.

When play finally resumed, Benedict's Jaquay Perdue intercepted McKinsley Marbury and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 20-14 with 11:55 to play in the third quarter.

The Tigers got another momentum boost on Lane's next drive, when the Tigers stopped the Dragons on fourth-and-short. But the Tigers couldn't move the ball on the ensuing possession, and the snap to punter Brian Curry went over his head into the end zone. Curry was forced to kick the ball out the back of the end zone for a safety to make the score 22-14.

Lane got the ball back, and the Dragons drove 47 yards on six plays, with Marbury throwing a 20-yard pass to Evan Yabu to make it 29-14.

The Tigers were facing a fourth-and-two from their own 37 on the next series and opted to go for it. Quarterback Chris Johnson was sacked for a 12-yard loss, giving the Dragons good field position. The Benedict defense held the Dragons to a 38-yard field goal to make it 32-14 at the start of the fourth quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Chris Johnson found a seam on the right sideline and returned it 87 yards, before finally being caught from behind at the 1-yard line. Thomas scored on the next possession to make it 38-21 with 8:13 left to play.

The Dragons had 422 yards of total offense, compared to 148 for the Tigers. Lane had a huge advantage in time of possession, holding the ball for 41:12, compared to just 18:48 for Benedict.

Marbury led the Dragons with 109 yards rushing, while completing 23 of 35 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

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