JACKSON, Tenn. — Lane College delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Wednesday night, pulling away in the second half for a dominant 91–70 SIAC victory over Fort Valley State at J.F. Lane Gymnasium.
The Dragons (10-13, 10-11 SIAC) led 38-33 at the break before erupting for 53 second-half points to put the game out of reach. Lane shot an efficient 47.1 percent from the floor and knocked down 8-of-20 from three-point range while forcing 17 turnovers that led to 20 points.
Xavier Bell paced the offensive explosion with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including a scorching 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Bell set the tone early and continued to stretch the floor throughout the night, helping Lane build and maintain separation.
Jarrell Love turned in another all-around performance with 21 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 40 minutes of action. Love's activity on both ends fueled Lane's transition game, as the Dragons finished with 27 fast-break points.
Elijah Lewis added 16 points, while Jaiden Lee chipped in 12 points and a team-high seven assists to keep the offense flowing. Paul Pullins provided a strong spark off the bench with 11 points and eight rebounds, helping Lane to a 16-9 advantage in bench scoring.
After a tightly contested first half that featured no lead changes but several momentum swings, Lane opened the second period with a burst. A 10-2 run pushed the lead to double digits, and the Dragons never looked back. Bell's three-point shooting and Love's aggressive drives to the rim highlighted a stretch that saw Lane extend its lead to as many as 23 points late in the game.
Lane also controlled the paint, outscoring Fort Valley State 40-32 inside, and matched the Wildcats on the glass with 37 rebounds.
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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.