TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Tuskegee women's basketball faced off against Benedict College in a hard-fought Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) battle on Thursday evening.
The Golden Tigers were narrowly defeated by the Benedict Tigers with a last-second three-pointer, falling by a score of 51-50. The loss brought Tuskegee's overall record to 3-7 and left them winless in conference play with an 0-3 SIAC record.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams exchanging leads throughout the contest.
In the first quarter, Tuskegee struggled to find their offensive rhythm, scoring just seven points, compared to Benedict's 11.
However, Tuskegee showed resilience in the second quarter, managing to outscore Benedict 14-9, tying the game at 21-21 at halftime.
The Golden Tigers picked up momentum in the third quarter, outscoring Benedict 21-14, and briefly held a 42-36 lead heading into the final period.
Unfortunately, they were unable to maintain their advantage, as Benedict closed the game strong, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter while Tuskegee managed just nine.
The game was ultimately decided in the final moments when Benedict's Taylor Christmas hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.
Offensively, Tuskegee was led by
Hilani Cantone, who finished with a game-high 17 points and added seven rebounds and two steals.
Brittney Bolin contributed 10 points, while forward
Shemaiah Mackin added seven points and seven rebounds, but the Golden Tigers struggled with shooting consistency.
As a team, Tuskegee shot 39.3 percent from the field (22-for-56), 31.3 percent from beyond the arc (5-for-16), and 37.5 percent from the free-throw line (3-for-8). The team also committed 20 turnovers, which allowed Benedict to capitalize on fast breaks and second-chance points.
Defensively, Tuskegee had a strong showing with 17 total steals and several key individual efforts.
However, their defense was undermined by Benedict's ability to hit critical shots at key moments, especially in the fourth quarter.
The Golden Tigers held Benedict to 39.3 percent shooting from the field but struggled to contain Benedict's leading scorer, Christmas, who finished with 14 points.
Benedict also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 25 bench points compared to Tuskegee's 8, and won the points in the paint battle 34-30.
In terms of individual contributions, Christmas of Benedict had a strong performance, finishing with 14 points, while Alaysia Nash contributed 12 points.
The last-second three-pointer from Christmas secured the victory for Benedict, who improved to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in SIAC play with the win.
Tuskegee will look to regroup and bounce back as they prepare for their next SIAC matchup, seeking to find their rhythm and improve their record in conference play.
The Golden Tigers will continue to rely on their defensive pressure and aim for greater offensive efficiency in their upcoming games.
Up Next
Tuskegee returns to the court for their final game of 2024 with another home game, this time hosting Allen on Saturday, December 21 at 1 p.m. CT inside the Daniel "Chappie" James Center.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Women's Basketball, visit
GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
