COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- The 24th-ranked Benedict College Lady Tigers closed out 2015 and their non-conference schedule with a 69-56 victory over Newberry College on Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.Regime McCombs scored a season-high 35 points, making five 3-pointers and sinking eight of 10 free throws in the final minute. McCombs ranks second in NCAA Division II in total 3-pointers and 3-pointers per game.
The Lady Tigers improved to 12-1 on the season with their seventh straight win. Newberry fell to 5-7.
Shelby Britten led the Wolves with 20 points.
Benedict led from start to finish, scoring the first nine points of the game. The Lady Tigers led 18-9 after the first period. Destiny Betts scored on an offensive rebound putback to give Benedict a 10-point lead, 28-18, at the half.
Newberry cut the lead to six, 30-24, on a 3-pointer by Samantha Creed with 8:12 left in the third, but the Lady Tigers scored the next seven points, getting two baskets by Betts and a 3-pointer by Dorothy Brown, for a 37-24 lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Wolves made it 37-33 with 4:26 left in the third, but McCombs answered with a 3-pointer for the Lady Tigers. Newberry cut the lead to 43-40 with 22 seconds left in the period, but Deja Stallworth hit a 3-pointer to close out the period and give Benedict a 46-40 lead heading into the final period.
A 3-pointer by Creed cut Benedict's lead to 48-43 with 8:37 left in the game, but the Lady Tigers responded by scoring the next seven points for a 12-point lead with 3:26 to play. Over the final 2:29, Benedict scored all of its points at the free-throw line, going 12-for-16.
Benedict forced Newberry into 18 turnovers and scored 20 points off those turnovers.
Benedict, which entered the game as the NCAA Division II leader in rebound margin, was out-rebounded for the first time this season, 34-32. Betts led Benedict with eight rebounds.
Benedict, 2-1 in the SIAC, takes on Tuskegee on Saturday at 1 p.m. and then hosting Miles on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
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