BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Benedict College men's basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the 2017 SIAC Basketball Tournament with a 75-70 victory over the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians on Thursday afternoon in the Bill Harris Arena.
The Tigers, now 17-11, advance to face Fort Valley State at 4:15 p.m. Eastern on Friday. Fort Valley, the fifth seed from the East, advanced to the semis by upsetting top-seed Claflin 76-58 on Wednesday. Benedict and Fort Valley played each other once this season, with the Tigers taking a 72-64 victory in Fort Valley on Jan. 21.
Quayshun Hawkins scored a career-high 34 points, including a key layup with 41 seconds left to break a tie and give Benedict a 69-67 lead. He then made six straight free-throws in the final 28 seconds to seal the victory.
Brandon Morris had 18 points, including a three-point play on a fast-break dunk with 1:42 left on the clock that allowed Benedict to retake a 67-65 lead after LeMoyne-Owen had taken a 65-62 lead on a 3-pointer with 3:19 on the clock.
Umar Frost had a game-high 12 rebounds, while Christopher Spencer added 10 rebounds and dished out a game-high six assists.
Rashawn Brown led LeMoyne-Owen with 26 points. The Magicians end their season at 10-19.
The Tigers scored the first nine points of the game and the Magicians didn't make a field goal until Desmond Black hit a 3-pointer to cut Benedict's lead to 15-5 halfway through the first half. Benedict had as much as a 15-point lead (28-13) in the first half, but LeMoyne-Owen rallied to trim the lead to 40-32 at the half.
A 3-pointer by Kel Robin gave Benedict a 59-47 lead with 9:54 to play, Brown drained a 3-pointer and another jumper to trim the lead to 59-57 with 6:36 left on the clock. Another 3-pointer by Brown gave the Magicians their first lead of the game, 65-62 with 3:19 remaining.
Hawkins hit a jumper, and Morris followed with the fast-break dunk. Morris was fouled on the play and sank the free-throw to give the Tigers a 67-65 lead with 1:42 on the clock. The Magicians tied the game again on a pair of free throws on Morris' fifth foul with 58 seconds left. Then Hawkins hit the jumper and went to the free-throw line six times in the final 30 seconds to clinch the win.
