COLUMBIA, S.C. – Allen University scored the final 10 points of the game to pull away from a close game and defeat Benedict College 65-53 in a SIAC women's basketball contest on Saturday in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.
 
Taylor Christmas scored a layup with 2:50 left in the game to make it 55-53, but that would be the last points the Lady Tigers would score. Allen hit one free throw with 1:58 left to play, and then scored nine straight points off four Benedict turnovers to close out the contest.
 
Allen improves to 5-10 overall and 2-8 in the SIAC. Benedict falls to 3-15 overall, 1-10 in the SIAC.
 
Alaysia Nash led Benedict with 13 points, while Madison Golden, playing in her first game of the season for the Lady Tigers, finished with 10 points. Christmas scored nine points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Allen jumped out to an early nine-point lead in the first quarter, but the Lady Tigers used a 14-2 run in the second quarter to take a 24-21 lead, and Benedict had a 30-27 lead at the half.
 
The Lady Tigers took their largest lead, 37-32, on a 3-pointer by Aniyah Scales with 5:52 left in the third quarter. The score was tied at 42 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Benedict will host Edward Waters on Monday night at 5:30 p.m.