Box Score COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Albany State Rams shot a blistering 67 percent in the game to defeat the Benedict Tigers 80-68 in an SIAC men's basketball matchup on Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.

Joseph Williams scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Jamorris Gaines also had 20 points to lead the Golden Rams, who improved to 9-10 overall and 6-5 in the SIAC. Williams was 9-of-10 from the floor, while Gaines was 7-of-8.

The Tigers lost for the third time in their last five games, all at home, to fall to 13-8 overall and 8-5 in the SIAC.

Brennan Reynard led the Tigers with 17 points. Kareem Ransom and Deonte Johnson added 11 points each.

The Rams went on a 13-2 run in the first half to break away from a 14-14 tie and take a 27-16 lead. The Rams increased the lead to 44-27 before the Tigers were able to trim the lead to 47-37 at the half.

Benedict scored the first nine points of the second half, and then Andrew Crawford hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 51 with 15:02 left to play. But the Golden Rams started to pull away, getting 3-pointers from Larry Bullock and Derry Thorpe to take a 60-54 lead. The Rams went on an 11-3 run to take a 72-59 lead with 5:10 left and stayed in control the rest of the way. Albany State shot 75 percent in the second half, missing just four shots.

Albany State out-rebounded the Tigers 35-17. Of Albany State's 16 missed shots for the game, the Golden Rams grabbed seven offensive rebounds.

Benedict wraps up its six-game home stand on Saturday with its final regular-season home game of the year. Benedict will host Fort Valley State, the top overall team in the SIAC, at 3 p.m.