Box Score
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers edged Claflin University 57-56 on Thursday night in front of a packed crowd in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena as Xavier Collier scored 26 points and Claflin missed a shot at the buzzer.

The Tigers improved to 19-6 overall and 15-2 in the SIAC. Benedict can clinch the top seed in the East Division for the 2013 SIAC Tournament with a win over Paine on Saturday in the final game of the season.

The Panthers had a two-point lead with a minute to play, but Collier hit one free throw to cut the lead to one point, then hit two more free throws with 35 seconds left to give the Tigers a 57-56 lead. Claflin ran the clock down and called time out with 11 seconds left to set up a final play. Benedict tightened up the defense, and Claflin's Terrence Bowman forced up a 3-pointer at the buzzer, that hit the rim and bounced out.

Tydran Beaty added 10 points for the Tigers.

Bowman led Claflin with 12 points, while David Glover added 11.

The Tigers held as much as a nine-point lead in the first half, 22-13, on a jumper by Collier with 4:23 left in the first half. Claflin cut the lead to 22-19 at the half.

In the second half, Benedict pulled ahead 31-21 with 16:50 to play on a jumper by Collier, but the Panthers chipped away at the lead and two free throws by Patrick Bendegue made it 39-37 with 10:46 on the clock.

A jumper by Collier pushed the lead back to four points, but Bowman was fouled on a 3-point attempt and sank all three free throws to cut the lead to 41-40 with 9:45 left to play, and the game was a tight contest the rest of the way, with neither team taking more than a two-point lead.

A 3-pointer by Bowman and two free throws by Marcellus Dunn gave the Panthers its first lead in the second half, 45-43, with 8:35 to play.

Benedict reclaimed the lead at 51-50 on a 3-pointer by Justin Peeples with 6:03 on the clock.

Benedict shot 45.7 percent for the game, but held Claflin to 32.7 percent shooting.

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