BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Benedict College women’s basketball team advanced to the SIAC Championship for the fifth consecutive year with an 86-64 victory over Fort Valley State University on Friday afternoon in the Bill Harris Arena.
The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Wildcats 24-12 in the second quarter to pull away from a close first quarter and took a 40-29 lead at the break. The Lady Tigers came out of halftime with another strong third quarter to build as much as a 27-point lead. Benedict improved to 20-7 with their 14th straight victory. They will face either Central State or Claflin in the championship game at 5 p.m.Eastern. Benedict, the defending SIAC champion, is 2-2 in the championship game the pasts four years.
Destiny Betts, the SIAC Player of the Year, had another dominating performance for the Lady Tigers with 26 points and 18 rebounds, her 15th double-double of the season, and also had three blocked shots. MiKeisha Moorehit five 3-pointers and scored 16 points. LeAnna Morrisonalso had 16 points and a team-high three steals.
Benedict outscored Fort Valley 13-4 over the final four and a half minutes of the second quarter to take an 11-point lead, 40-29, at the half.
The Lady Tigers opened the third period with a 17-6 run, getting the last four points on a four-point play by Moore, who was fouled on a 3-pointer. The largest lead was 27 points, 65-38, with 1:18 left in the third. Fort Valley State never got closer than 16 points in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Wildcats wrap up the season at 10-17. Shekiyah Tarpkins led Fort Valley State with 22 points.
After struggling from the field in Wednesday’s tournament opener against Albany State, the Lady Tigers shot 44.3 percent against Fort Valley State, including 51.5 percent in the second half.
