TUSKEGEE, Ala. — Tuskegee Women's Basketball battled down to the final possession in a defensive struggle at home on Saturday, but a last-second three-point attempt to tie the game was off the mark as the Golden Tigers fell 46-43 to Benedict inside the Daniel "Chappie" James Center.
The opening quarter foreshadowed the type of afternoon it would be, physical, low-scoring, and possession-by-possession. Tuskegee struck first on a basket from
Shemaiah Mackin, but both teams endured long droughts as Benedict edged ahead 8-4 midway through the frame. A jumper from
Arianna Durrell late in the period helped close the gap, but Benedict held a narrow 10-8 advantage at the end of the first.
Tuskegee took its first lead of the game early in the second quarter when Durrell knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the arc to make it 11-10. The teams traded baskets and ties throughout the period, with neither side leading by more than three points. A putback from Mackin tied the game at 17-17 with 1:38 remaining before Benedict closed the half with a layup to take a 19-17 lead into the break.
The third quarter featured the biggest momentum shift of the afternoon. After Benedict extended its lead to 24-17, Tuskegee answered quickly with a burst of their own, pulling the game within a point at 25-24. Benedict responded by converting on three straight possessions, pushing ahead 29-25 before a Durrell pull-up and a Brown transition finish cut the margin back to 29-28. Benedict scored the final basket of the quarter to take a 31-28 lead into the fourth.
Tuskegee opened the final frame with defensive intensity, forcing three consecutive empty possessions, but was unable to capitalize offensively. Benedict eventually stretched the lead to 38-30 with 6:17 remaining, however the Golden Tigers answered with their strongest run of the day.
Benedict pushed the lead back to four, 43-39, with just over two minutes remaining, but Tuskegee again closed the gap to make it 43-41. After a defensive stop, Tuskegee had a chance to tie, but a mid-range attempt rolled off the rim.
Benedict added a key score with 48 seconds left to make it 45-43, and later secured the game with a free throw to extend the margin to 46-43 with 18 seconds remaining.
Tuskegee drew up a play to get a final three-point attempt, but her contested shot at the horn fell short as Benedict escaped with the three-point win.
Up Next
Tuskegee returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 17, on the road against Savannah State, continuing SIAC play as they look to regroup.
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