BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Lane College Lady Dragons forced Benedict College into 29 turnovers and upset the SIAC women's basketball tournament's top seed, 74-61, on Wednesday night in the Bill Harris Arena.

Benedict falls to 20-7 on the season. The Lady Tigers will have to wait until Sunday, March 10, to see if they will receive an at-large invitation to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. Benedict was ranked seventh in the South Region poll released Tuesday, and eight teams from the region advance to the national tournament.

Lane goes to 11-17 on the season and advances to face the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal matchup between LeMoyne-Owen and Central State in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

Benedict took a season-low 37 shots from the field, connecting on 17 for a 45.9 percent shooting percentage. Lane, meanwhile, attempted 62 shots, making 28 (45.2 percent). The Lady Tigers committed 29 turnovers, with Lane converting those turnovers into 31 points. Benedict scored eight points off 14 Lane turnovers. Benedict was able to get to the free-throw line, attempting 38 free throws, but made just 23 (60.5 percent).

"I don't think we played up to our potential," said Benedict head coach James Rice. "I appreciate these young ladies going out there and doing their best."

Ay'Anna Bey led the Lady Tigers with 23 points. Ayanna Armstead was the only other Lady Tiger in double figures with 13 points.

Lane was led by Antrice McCoy with 21 points, one of four players in double figures.

The Lady Dragons scored the first seven points of the game, and had a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. After Lane opened the second quarter with a pair of 3-pointers for a 19-7 lead, the Lady Tigers rallied with a 14-2 run to tie the contest at 21 after a three-point play by Octavia Hawkins. Hawkins and Mahogany Randall hit jumpers to close out the first half and gave Benedict a 27-23 lead at the break.

A 3-pointer by Bey to open the second half gave Benedict its largest lead of the game, 30-23. Lane used an 8-1 run in the third quarter to pull ahead. Two free throws by Bey tied the game at 40 with 25 seconds left in the quarter, but Lane scored to take a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Dragons scored the first six points of the fourth quarter for a 48-40 lead, and the Lady Tigers could never catch up. A 3-pointer by Armstead cut the lead to 48-43 with 7:40 remaining, but Lane went on an 11-2 run, getting a couple of baskets after Benedict turnovers and had a 14-point lead with 4:38 on the clock.

"Everything kind of snowballed. Lane was playing really good basketball the second half," Rice said. "All I could ask was they just keep fighting. And they did. Regardless of the outcome, they kept playing as hard as they could and playing with character."