COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College women's basketball team lost for the first time at home in three years, as Lane College's Tashara Jones hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Lady Dragons to a 69-66 victory over Benedict College on Monday in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.
 
On an emotionally-charged night, with the athletic department honoring the memory of Rashee Hodges prior to the start of the contest, the Lady Tigers got behind early and then staged a fourth-quarter rally to tie the game with five seconds left. Hodges, a member of the men's basketball team, died early Sunday morning.
 
"I was kind of surprised that they were strong enough to come out and play in honor of Rashee," said Benedict head coach James Rice. "A lot of the young ladies knew him and were kind of close to him. For them to come out and want to play, it was their decision. I just wanted to honor that. We thought we'd be strong enough to play."

 
Benedict fell to 5-4 overall and 2-1 in the SIAC, losing at home for the first time since February 6, 2014, snapping a 29-game home winning streak. Lane improved to 2-7 overall and 1-1 in the SIAC.
 
MiKeisha Moore led Benedict with 22 points, hitting six 3-pointers. She scored on a driving layup with five seconds left to tie the score at 66. Zairra Harris had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Destiny Betts had a game-high 14 rebounds.
 
Addie McNeely led Lane with 16 points, while LaTrice Ragland had 15 points on five 3-pointers. Lane connected on 12-of-20 3-pointers in the game.
 
After an emotional memorial ceremony prior to the game, and with an empty chair with Hodges' jersey draped over it in the corner of the gym, the Lady Tigers started off slowly, falling behind 13-3 to start the game and trailed 23-14 at the end of the first quarter. Lane had a 38-28 lead at the half.
 
Lane built its biggest lead, 50-35, on a 3-pointer by Destiny Irvin with 3:16 left in the third quarter and the Lady Dragons maintained the 15-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, 54-39.

After Benedict cut the lead to four points in the fourth quarter, 58-54, Lane responded with back-to-back 3-pointers by Ragland and Jones. The Lady Tigers came back with back-to-back 3-pointers by Shirvel Luke and Moore to cut the lead to 64-60 with 2:56 left, then a basket by Harris cut the lead to 64-62 with 1:55 left. Lane added a pair of free throws before Michala Robinson drove to the basket for a layup with 1:07 on the clock to cut the lead to 66-64. Lane missed a shot with 49 seconds left and Betts grabbed the rebound. Benedict missed three shot attempts in the final 38 seconds, but got the offensive rebound each time. Moore finally tied the game with a layup with five seconds left. Lane's Jones then drove the length of the court and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the win.
 
"Win or lose, it really doesn't matter. Of course you want to win," Rice said. "This is for the cause. This is what they wanted to go and play for. It was kind of tough, and I applaud them for that."
 
The Lady Tigers travel to face Augusta University on Saturday at 4 p.m., before returning home to play North Greenville University on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.