GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone Saints used a 13-0 first-quarter run to build a lead and held off a late Benedict rally to take a 76-71 victory in a non-conference women's basketball game on Wednesday.

After Ay'Anna Bey opened the game with a layup, the Saints scored the next 13 points and finished the quarter with a 15-6 lead. The Lady Tigers shot 16.7 percent (2-for-12) in the first quarter. Limestone had a 14-point lead, 64-50, early in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Tigers rallied to cut the lead to 66-64 on a pair of free throws by Bey with 4:13 left to play, but they couldn't get any closer.

Benedict falls to 8-4 overall. Limestone, which has advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament for the last seven years, improves to 6-5 overall.

A layup by Bey with 46 seconds left cut the lead to 69-66, but the Saints answered with a three-point play by Jayla Morrow with 41 seconds left.

Bey scored a career-high 35 points for the Lady Tigers. She also had a team-high nine rebounds. Octavia Hawkins added 12 points. Taylor Hunter led Limestone with 19 points, hitting five 3-pointers.

Bey had a three-point play with 12 seconds left to make it 74-71, but Limestone sealed the game with two free throws with nine seconds left.

Benedict takes a Christmas break and returns to action on New Year's Eve for a home game against Kentucky State at 5:30 p.m.