COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College women's basketball team will host a first-round game in the 2026 SIAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championship presented by Toyota.
 
Benedict earned the third seed on the SIAC East Division, and will play Central State University at 1 p.m. The game will be played at C.A. Johnson High School due to a scheduling conflict in the HRC Arena. Tickets are available at www.benedicttickets.com.
 
The Lady Tigers (16-8 overall and 16-8 in the SIAC) have been one of the surprise teams in the conference this season after being picked to finish fifth in the East Division in the coaches' preseason predicted order of finish.
 
The Lady Tigers had a recent seven-game winning streak and closed out the regular season by winning nine of their final 10 games.
 
The key to their success this season has been on the defensive end of the court and crashing the boards. Benedict ranks first in NCAA Division II in total rebounds per game (47.25) and offensive rebounds per game (21.2). The Lady Tigers also rank high in 24.83 turnovers forced per game (11^th in D2 and second in the SIAC), and 14 steals per game (11^th in D2 and third in the SIAC). Benedict also ranks seventh in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 24.1 percent from behind the arc.
 
Benedict has a deep lineup with multiple players able to provide scoring. Alaysia Nash leads the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game, with Aaliyah Lawrence close behind at 10.7 points per game. Nash is considered one of the top perimeter defenders in the SIAC. This season she ranks fourth in the SIAC in steals per game (2.6). Lawrence is one of the top all-around players in the league. In addition to her scoring, she ranks fifth in the SIAC in rebounds per game (7.5) and seventh in blocked shots per game (1.0), and 13^th in steals per game (2.0). Freshman Andrea Duncan is third on the team in scoring (8.0) and is 12^th in the SIAC in assists per game (2.2).
 
The Lady Tigers swept Central State in two regular-season games. Benedict opened the season with an 11-point win at Central State, and later took an 18-point victory in Columbia.
 
The winner will advance to the tournament quarterfinals March 5 at the Clayton County Convocation Center in Morrow, Ga. If Benedict advances, they would face Lane, the second seed from the West, at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.