WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Benedict College men's basketball team opened the season with an 84-78 overtime victory over Central State on Thursday night, giving head coach Dannton Jackson a win in his Benedict debut.
 
Kameron Foman hit a 3-pointer with one second left in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime. Benedict rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit, surging with a 20-4 run late in the second half.
 
In overtime, the Tigers kept their momentum, and never trailed in the extra period. With the score tied at 76, Caleb Hymon hit a pair of free throws, and Cole White hit a layup to give the Tigers an 80-76 lead with 1:50 left. The Marauders cut the lead to 80-78, but the Tigers scored the final four points in the last 44 seconds.
 
Landon Jeffries led the Tigers with 22 points in his Benedict debut, going 11-of-12 at the free-throw line. Kameron Foman added 15 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Malachi Chavis added 14 points and Hymon scored 12 points.
 
Benedict had as much as a 10-point lead, 25-15, with five minutes left in the first half. Central State scored the final 13 points of the first half to take a 28-25 lead at the half.
 
The Tigers, now 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC, will continue their road trip with a 3 p.m. contest at Kentucky State on Saturday. Central State falls to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the SIAC.