Box Score AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Benedict Tigers captured the SIAC East Division title with a 70-64 victory over Paine College as Rickie Jackson scored a season-high 24 points on Saturday.

The Tigers, 20-6 overall and 16-2 in the SIAC, earned the top seed in the East Division by virtue of winning the tiebreaker with Morehouse College. Benedict and Morehouse split during the regular season, but Benedict swept third-place Paine, while Morehouse split with Paine. The Tigers, the defending SIAC Tournament champions, earned a bye to the quarterfinals of the SIAC Tournament and will play at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday against the winner between the fourth seed from the West Division and the fifth seed from the East. The SIAC Office will announce official tournament pairings on Sunday.

Jackson scored his 24 points on eight 3-pointers as the Tigers made a season-high 12 3-pointers for the game.

Tydran Beaty added 13 points for the Tigers. Justin Peeples came off the bench to score a season-high 10 points in 14 minutes of action. Xavier Collier had a strong all-around game with nine points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Benedict rallied in the second half, after trailing 35-30 at the half.

Paine was led by Mario Jordan with 17 points, while Jerel Stephenson had 16 points.