JACKSON, Tenn. – Lane College Dragons secured a 70-61 victory over the Benedict College Tigers in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) matchup. The win moved Lane to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while Benedict dropped to 1-2 and 0-1 in the SIAC.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Benedict building a 38-28 lead at halftime. Lane would have a dominant third period, where they outscored the Tigers 22-9, to put the hosts ahead for good.
Chantoryia Rivers led Lane with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Europe Brown provided a spark off the bench with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Despite a quiet start from Breonna Carey and Kae’la Mitchell, the Dragons found key contributions from their bench, who combined for 36 points.
In the fourth quarter, Lane solidified their lead with sharp shooting and a strong defensive effort. They made 7-of-7 free throws in the final frame and capitalized on Benedict’s inability to convert from beyond the arc (0-6 in the fourth quarter). Benedict, struggling from long range (5-of-19 on the day), was unable to mount a comeback as Lane’s defense continued to stifle them.
Lane capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outscoring Benedict 14-4 in that category, and dominated points off turnovers, 31-14. Despite shooting just 27.3% from three-point range, the Dragons found success in the paint, where they tallied 34 points. Benedict’s offense was hindered by turnovers (33 total) and an inefficient shooting night, finishing at 41.8% from the field.
Key Players:
- Benedict: Taylor Christmas (15 points, 9 rebounds), Alaysia Nash (16 points)
- Lane: Chantoryia Rivers (16 points, 10 rebounds), Europe Brown (19 points)
