ALBANY, Ga. — The
Albany State University Golden Rams rebounded in a big way on Senior Day, defeating
Benedict College 68-60 at the Jones Brothers HPER Complex in front of a crowd of 650 fans. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for ASU, improving their record to 15-9 overall and 12-5 in SIAC play, while Benedict fell to 4-20 overall and 4-13 in the conference.
From the opening tip, the Golden Rams controlled the tempo, using their defensive pressure and efficient three-point shooting to build an early lead. Albany State dominated the first half, limiting Benedict to just six field goals on 18.7% shooting, while the Rams connected on 7-of-14 shots from beyond the arc. A balanced offensive effort, led by
Blaise Wallace,
G'Shan Aldridge, and
Shakur Poteat, helped ASU take a commanding 33-17 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Benedict found its rhythm offensively, but the Golden Rams had an answer for every run. Each time the Tigers looked to close the gap, ASU responded with key baskets from
Cameron Evans and
Kendale Johnson, along with dominant inside play from Wallace and
Jabari Williams, who combined for 23 rebounds.
Wallace anchored the Rams' victory with a double-double performance of 15 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. Aldridge was a playmaker, finishing with 13 points, nine assists, and three rebounds, while Poteat added 11 points and five rebounds, knocking down three three-pointers. Evans came off the bench and made a significant impact with 14 points, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Despite Benedict's 43-point second-half surge, Albany State maintained its composure, making 11 free throws down the stretch to secure the win. ASU also dominated the boards, outrebounding Benedict 42-32, and controlled the paint, limiting the Tigers to just 24 points inside. The win provides ASU with a crucial boost as they prepare for the final home game of the regular season.
UP NEXT
The Golden Rams will host Allen University on Monday, February 17, in a game that will feature a pregame celebration of ASU's scholar student-athletes. The matchup is also the Play4Kay Pink Out Game, raising awareness for breast cancer. Tip-off is set for immediately following the women's game inside the Jones Brothers HPER Complex.
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.