MOBILE, Ala. (January 3, 2022) – Despite a strong second half rally, the Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team opened 2022 with a 75-70 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) loss to the Savannah State University (SSU) Tigers at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Monday night.
The Tigers (4-6, 3-2 SIAC East) used a 15-point run early in the first half to take as much as a 20-point advantage with 9:36 left in the period and maintained a 43-33 lead at the intermission.
SHC rallied to tie the game at 45-45 just 4 minutes into the second stanza, but SSU picked themselves up off the mat to rebuild a 10-point cushion with 5 minutes left in the game.
With 26 seconds remaining the Badger trailed by just 4 points when the Tigers were whistled with a technical foul for calling a timeout with none remaining. SHC failed to cash in on the free throw opportunity, however, and SSU sealed the victory by making its final four free throw attempts sandwiched around a
Sam Davidson 3-pointer for the Badgers.
SHC shot 42.9% (21-49) from the field including 20% (3-15) from 3-point range. The Badgers knocked down 80.6% (25-31) of their free throws, but lost 21 turnovers to 14 Tiger steals for 26 points on the other end for the visitors.
Jaden Gray paced the Badgers with 18 points while
Beril Kabamba and Davidson tallied 14 point apiece. The Badger won the rebounding battle 40 to 30 with Gray's game-high nine boards.
SSU shot 35.1% (20-57) including 29.2% (7-24) from 3-point distance while making 75.7% (28-37) of their free throws. The Tigers lost 14 turnovers to six Badger steals that SHC converted into 15 points. Avery Joyner led all scorers with 21 points.
The Badgers (1-10, 0-5 SIAC West) will host SIAC rival the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers (6-6; 3-1 SIAC West) at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.
