COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College women's basketball team advanced in the 2026 SIAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championship presented by Toyota by staging a strong second-half rally to defeat Central State 63-58 on Saturday at C.A. Johnson High School.
 
Benedict, the third seed from the East Division, outscored Central State, the sixth seed from the West Division, 21-7 in the third quarter to take the lead and held on during the fourth quarter.
 
The Lady Tigers improved to 17-8 overall, while Central State wrapped up its season at 6-22. Benedict advances to face Lane College, the second seed from the West, at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 in the Arena at Southlake in Morrow, Ga.
 
The Lady Marauders led most of the first half, holding a 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and had its largest lead, 31-19, late in the second quarter. Central State led 33-23 at the half.
 
The Lady Tigers opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 35-32. A layup by Raven Johnson gave Benedict its first lead since early in the first quarter, 38-37, with 4:51 left in the third quarter. Benedict took a 44-40 lead heading into the final period.
 
Alaysia Nash hit a 3-pointer, and Ghylissa Knowles scored a layup to increase the lead to 51-43 with 7:27 left to play. Knowles hit a 3-pointer with 3:30 remaining to give the Lady Tigers a 57-48 lead.
 
Central State hit a 3-pointer with 58 seconds remaining to get within 60-56, but the Lady Tigers answered with a jumper by Kayla Fisher and the Lady Tigers closed out the game.
 
Knowles hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points for the Lady Tigers. Gwendasia Page added 12 points. Fisher grabbed a Benedict career-high 12 rebounds.
 
Benedict split two regular season meetings against Lane. The Dragons won 73-59 in Columbia in December, and Benedict took a dominating 70-47 victory in Jackson, Tenn., on Feb. 10.