COLUMBIA, S.C. — Morehouse leaned on timely shot-making, active hands defensively, and late poise at the free-throw line to secure a 58-54 road win at Benedict on Saturday afternoon at HRC Arena. The victory kept Morehouse unbeaten in SIAC East Division play (5-0) and completed a 4-0 sweep against opponents it will see only once this season — a potentially meaningful edge if tie-breakers come into play down the stretch.
FIRST HALF
The afternoon started uphill for Morehouse as Benedict opened with the first eight points, using early pressure and paint touches to build an 8-0 cushion. Morehouse settled in at the foul line to get on the board, then began chipping away with perimeter looks and transition chances. Omar Farah provided an early spark — first with a finish at the rim, then with a three — as Morehouse cut into the deficit after falling behind by as many as nine (16-7).
From there, the game turned into a possession-by-possession grind. Sincere Moore knocked down a three to pull Morehouse closer, and Brandon Peters followed with a three of his own to tighten the margin to one possession. Benedict answered with a three to regain separation, but Morehouse stayed composed and kept working for quality looks, eventually drawing even late. A Josiah Lawson three tied the game at 19-19, and Morehouse briefly moved in front at the free-throw line before the lead flipped again in the final minutes. Lawson's driving layup put Morehouse back ahead, but Benedict closed the half with a three to take a 25-23 advantage into the break.
SECOND HALF
Morehouse came out of halftime with purpose. Moore opened the scoring with a jumper to tie it, then buried a three to put Morehouse in front — a tone-setter for a second half defined by defensive pressure and timely responses. Benedict briefly regained the lead, but Morehouse answered immediately and then created separation with a key burst: Moore converted inside, JerMontae Hill added a bucket, and Moore repeatedly got to the line as Morehouse pushed in front 35-29.
Benedict continued to hang around, but Morehouse kept winning the "response" moments. Caleb Thompson drilled a three during a stretch where Morehouse built its largest lead (44-35), and Farah added another three as the Maroon Tigers absorbed multiple Benedict pushes. Down the stretch, Benedict trimmed the gap with free throws and second-chance opportunities, but Morehouse executed when it mattered most: Peters scored at the rim and Thompson followed with another layup to restore breathing room, and then Peters calmly knocked down late free throws to protect the lead.
Benedict made one final surge at the stripe to pull within three in the closing seconds, but Moore delivered the final answer — a free throw with 10 seconds left — to close out the 58-54 win.
TEAM COMPARISON
- Field goals: Morehouse 17-55 (30.9%) | Benedict 16-45 (35.6%)
- 3-pointers: Morehouse 9-29 | Benedict 2-13
- Free throws: Morehouse 15-22 | Benedict 20-26
- Rebounds: Benedict 42 | Morehouse 31
- Turnovers: Benedict 18 | Morehouse 10
- Steals: Morehouse 8 | Benedict 4
- Points off turnovers: Morehouse 14 | Benedict 11
- Bench points: Morehouse 19 | Benedict 18
STATISTICAL LEADERS
In a game where Morehouse was out-rebounded and had to weather a steady stream of free throws, the Maroon Tigers found enough winning plays — especially from three-point range and with pressure defense that forced 18 turnovers — to leave Columbia with an important conference road win. Morehouse returns to Atlanta, hosting Fort Valley State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Forbes Arena. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger basketball on Instagram @morehousebasketball.
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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 (HBCUs) 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.