WILBERFORCE, Ohio – Jordan Smith scored 21 points, including two free throws with 10 seconds left, to help lead the Benedict College Tigers to an 81-79 victory over Central State University on Thursday night in their first SIAC game of the season.

The Tigers, the defending SIAC champions, had as much as a 14-point second-half lead, 58-44, on a Rydealous Taylor 3-pointer with 14:31 left in the game. The Marauders used an 11-point run to cut the lead to 60-58 with 9:33 on the clock. Central State took its first lead of the second half, 66-65, on a free throw by Hosie Smith Jr.

Jordan Smith gave the Tigers a 68-66 lead on a 3-pointer, but the Marauders tied the game on a Jeremy Brown layup. Jordan Smith drained another 3-pointer, but the Marauders answered with a 3-pointer by Tom Johnson to keep the game tied, 71-71, with 3:51 to play.

Benedict took the lead for good on a free throw by Brennan Reynard with 3:34 on the clock, and Quayshun Hawkins sank two free throws and Reynard hit another free throw for a 75-71 Benedict lead with 2:19 left to play.

Reynard hit a jumper for a 77-73 Benedict lead with 1:42 left to play, but Johnson scored on a layup to cut the lead to 77-75 with 1:32 left. After a CSU miss, Hawkins sank two free throws with 31 seconds left for a 79-75 lead.

Sean Cassidy Jr. scored on a layup for the Marauders with 11 seconds left and was fouled. He missed the free throw and Jordan Smith grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He sank both free throws to give the Tigers an 81-77 lead. Robert Konteh scored a layup at the buzzer for the final margin.

Hawkins also had 21 points for the Tigers, who improved to 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC. Central State fell to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the SIAC.

Taylor added 17 points. Reynard scored seven points and dished out a game-high nine assists. Christopher Spencer and Lafonzo Smith had eight rebounds each.

Sterling Gilmore led the Marauders with 18 points.

The Tigers continue their road trip with a conference meeting at Lane College on Saturday at 3 p.m.