AUGUSTA, Ga. – Paine's Denzel Dillingham hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left to give the Paine College Lions a 71-69 victory over the Benedict College Tigers on Saturday afternoon in a game that saw the Lions rally from a 17-point second-half deficit.
 
Brennan Reynard led Benedict with 12 points, while Jordan Smith added 10 points.
 
Paine had a 66-61 lead with 2:57 left on the clock. The Tigers rallied with a jumper by Allen Elmore, and a free throw by Auntrell Holloway. Roberto Mantovani scored on a layup and was fouled, sinking the free throw for the three-point play and giving the Tigers a 67-66 lead with 1:29 on the clock.
 
The Lions missed a 3-point attempt, but grabbed the offensive rebound and Alfonso Davis scored on a layup for a 68-67 lead with 38 seconds left. Deonte Johnson hit a jumper with 15 seconds left to give Benedict a 69-68 lead before Dillingham's game-winning shot.
 
Benedict had a 37-28 lead at the half, and Andrew Crawford opened the second half with a jumper. Smith hit back-to-back jumpers and Crawford sank another jumper to give Benedict its largest lead, 45-28, with 16:40 in the second half.
 
Paine scored 19 unanswered points to take a 47-45 lead. Quiron Cooke sank two free throws to snap the scoring drought and tie the game.
 
Benedict wraps up conference play at 14-11 overall and 12-7 in the SIAC. Paine improves to 21-5 overall and 16-2 in the SIAC. Benedict has a non-conference home game against Barber-Scotia College on Wednesday before heading to the SIAC Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.