Benedict Gets Rivalry Win At Claflin, 76-59

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (BC SID) – The 24th-ranked Benedict Tigers men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the first time in 35 days and drubbed rival Claflin University 76-59 on Wednesday night. Marcus Goode (Mid-Carolina High School) led the Tigers with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and was one of four Tigers in double figures. Lamar Adkins added 17 points, Rickie Jackson had 14 and Tydran Beaty (Irmo H.S.) added 13, including six straight points in a crucial second-half run, and had a highlight-reel dunk that put the Tigers ahead by 18 points with five minutes left in the game. Cassius Bell gave out a game-high 11 assists. Benedict improves to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the SIAC. Claflin falls to 4-7 overall and 4-6 in the SIAC. The Tigers shot 55.6 percent (35-of-63) for the game, including better than 57 percent in the second half. Benedict continually attacked the rim and worked for high-percentage shots. Goode was 11-of-13, and Adkins was 8-of-12. Benedict scored 44 of their 76 points in the paint, compared to just 20 points in the paint for the Panthers. The Tigers scored seven of the final nine points in the first half to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room, then came out and scored the first four points in the second half for a 16-point lead and never saw their lead drop below 13 points the rest of the game. Claflin shot just 23.3 percent (7-of-30) in the first half and improved only slightly in the second half, finishing the game shooting 29.7 percent (19-of-64). Benedict out-rebounded the Panthers 47-30. Edward Green (O-W H.S.) led Claflin with 14 points, while Terrence Bowman added 11. The Tigers stay on the road, traveling to face the Lane Dragons on Saturday in Jackson, Tenn.