Box Score AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Benedict College women's basketball team closed out the regular season with a 54-48 loss to Paine College on Saturday.

Paine's victory was its first over the Lady Tigers since February of 2008.

The Lady Tigers fell to 17-9 overall and 11-5 in the SIAC. Paine improved to 9-14 overall and 6-7 in the SIAC.

Benedict had a 7-4 lead early in the first half before the Lady Lions pulled away to take a 24-12 lead. Benedict cut the lead to 29-21 at the half.

The Lady Lions had a 45-35 lead with 5:38 left to play, but the Lady Tigers scored six straight points to cut the lead to 45-41 with 2:57 left to play. The Lady Lions pushed the lead back to seven points. Benedict made it 50-46 on a layup by KaDeeja Vaughn with 1:50 left to play, but could not get any closer.

Ashley Thompson led Benedict with 13 points, while Vaughn added 12. Benedict shot 27.8 percent for the game.

Benedict held Paine's Ashley Watts, the nation's leading scorer, to a season-low 10 points, but had a season-high eight rebounds. Tannasia Rhodes led Paine with 13 points, while Ariel Brown added 12 points.

Benedict will be off until the SIAC Tournament, which begins March 3 in Birmingham, Ala.