ATLANTA – The Benedict College Tigers shot just 35 percent in the second half and Morehouse College took a 68-65 victory in a battle for the top spot in the SIAC Eastern Division on Saturday afternoon.

Benedict fell to 7-2 in the SIAC, 11-6 overall, while Morehouse remained unbeaten in league play at 8-0, 10-5 overall.

The homestanding Maroon Tigers jumped out to an early lead, taking a 13-2 lead less than five minutes into the game. Benedict settled down and went ahead by as much as seven points, 26-19, on a pair of free throws by Marcus Goode with 4:55 left in the first half. Benedict took a 34-30 lead into the break on a buzzer-beating jumper by Lamar Adkins.

Morehouse scored the first five points of the second half to take the lead. Benedict tied the game on three occasions in the second half, but never was able to take the lead.

A 3-pointer by Cassius Bell tied the game at 52 with 10:47 left to play, but Morehouse pushed the lead back to four points, 56-52.

When Benedict cut the lead to 58-57 with 7:14 to play on a free throw by Xavier Collier, Morehouse again scored the next four points.

With 1:27 left to play, Morehouse took its biggest lead in the second half, 66-59, on a pair of free throws. The Tigers scored six straight points to cut the lead to one point, 66-65, on a layup by Brennan Reynard, a 3-pointer by Tydran Beaty and a free throw by Beaty with 33 seconds left.

Reynard stole the ball on Morehouse's next possession, but the Tigers couldn't capitalize as they turned the ball back over with 10 seconds left. The Maroon Tigers then sealed the win with two free throws for the final 68-65 score.

Beaty led the Tigers with 17 points, while Collier added 13 points. Goode had 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Andrea Nelson led Morehouse with 25 points and 21 rebounds, while Darrius Williams added 18 points. Morehouse out-rebounded Benedict 50-33.

Benedict returns to Atlanta on Monday to face Clark Atlanta at 7:30 p.m.