FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Benedict College Lady Tigers clinched the top spot in the SIAC East Division with a 73-61 victory over Fort Valley State on Monday night.

The Lady Tigers won their eighth straight game and improved to 11-0 in the SIAC. With four conference games left on the schedule, Benedict has a six-game lead over second-place Albany State (5-6 in the SIAC). Fort Valley State falls to 4-8 in the SIAC and 4-16 overall.

Benedict will be the top seed in the East Division at the 2019 SIAC Basketball Tournament, which kicks off Feb. 25 in Birmingham, Ala. Benedict will have a bye until Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. The Lady Tigers were the top seed in 2015, 2016 and 2017, winning titles in 2016 and 2017.

Against Fort Valley State, Ay'Anna Bey led the way with 17 points, while Ayanna Armstead added 14 points and had 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.

Benedict closed out the first quarter with a 12-0 run to take a 19-13 lead, then scored the first five points of the second quarter to push the lead to 25-13. Fort Valley State trimmed the lead to 28-26, but the Lady Tigers finished the quarter with an 11-4 run to take a 39-30 lead at the half.

Fort Valley State cut the lead to 60-59 with 5:50 left in the game, but Benedict scored the next seven points for a 67-59 lead with 2:22 remaining. Benedict sealed the game by scoring the final six points of the game in the final minute at the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Lady Wildcats 64-43 and had a 17-8 advantage in second-chance points. Glory Morton had a season-high 12 rebounds.

The Lady Tigers return home for a non-conference matchup against rival Claflin on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.