Avery Jordan recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyana Johnson contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds. Edward Waters University achieved one of the greatest comebacks in school history, defeating the Savannah State Tigers with a score of 70-69.
The phrase “They had us in the first half” truly materialized when the Edward Waters women’s basketball team triumphed over the Savannah State women’s Tigers, rallying from a staggering 27-point deficit to win 70-69.
The first January win couldn’t get any better for the Edward Waters Tigers. Despite trailing by 27 points at halftime, they rallied together and put an end to the eight-game winning streak of the Savannah State Tigers. Savannah State University’s last loss was on December 4 against Miles College.
Savannah State started the first quarter on fire, shooting 46% as a team and 50% from beyond the arc. They jumped out to a 9-4 lead, which was cut down to 9-7 by EWU. But with quick baskets from Nyla Allen, Mya Byrd, and Jacquece Alston, Savannah quickly regained control and ended the first quarter with a 17-10 advantage. In the second quarter, Savannah extended their lead by scoring 10 consecutive points, making it 27-10 with 6:39 remaining. Their dominance continued as they went on a 16-4 run, bringing the score to 43-16 with 1:32 left. In the second quarter, SSU achieved their season-high shooting percentage of 68% from the field, while also shooting a perfect 100% from three.
Edward Waters came out of the locker room with a new focus, constantly trapping Savannah State guards, making it very difficult for SSU to set up their offense. Savannah State guards, Nyla Allen and Mya Byrd, combined for 9 turnovers, and center Ta’Quasia Lampkin accounted for 5 turnovers by herself.
Edward Waters chopped down a 43-19 score at the start of the 3rd quarter to close as 11 points in the 3rd quarter with 1:53 remaining. In the end, Savannah State would go into the 4th quarter with a 56-43 lead. But you can see that this Savannah State team was struggling, as the shots that were falling in the first half were not coming through, with Savannah State shooting 6 of 18 as a team.
The play of EWU’s bench cannot go unnoticed. The play from their bench in the 3rd bench points equaled 11 points compared to SSU’s bench, who got no contribution from the bench. EWU would begin the 4th quarter on an 11-3 run to cut Savannah State’s lead to five at 59-54 with 3:54 left. Jordan Avery’s three-pointer got EWU within 2 points, 59-57. Nyla Allen, the point guard at Savannah State, would turn the ball over, and Jordan Avery scored off the turnover and was fouled by Allen to make it a three-point opportunity, giving Edward Waters its first lead of the game, 60-59, with 3:31 left to go.
Savannah State and Edward Waters would continue to battle, but SSU would regain the lead, 66-64, at 1:12. However, Edward Waters scored six straight points to make the deficit 70-69, completing one of the best comebacks in recent memory. Edward Waters shot 7 of 19 in the third quarter from the field and 50% in the 4th quarter as a team. Amari Heard and Mya Byrd both scored 19 points for Savannah State in their loss. Nyla Allen dished in 10 points and 6 assists.
The Savannah State Lady Tigers will have to put this loss behind them as they go to Columbia, SC to play the Allen University Yellow Jackets on January 29 at 5:30 P.M. in John Hurst Adams Gymnasium.
The Edward Water Lady Tigers want to keep this train rolling when they travel to Columbia, SC to play Benedict College Tigers on January 29 at 5:30 P.M. in HRC Arena.
Meanwhile, in the men’s game, Ajay Plain matched his season-high with 21 points and the Savannah State Tigers ran out of Adams-Jenkins Complex with an impressive victory over Edward Waters University 62-59 after being on a three-game losing streak.
Javonte Landy and Jordan Mikel played vital roles in Savannah State’s win. Freshman forward Jordan Mikel stood out with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore Javonte Landy provided an exceptional performance off the bench, contributing 12 points in 26 minutes of play.
Savannah State’s defensive effort was on display in the first half. Coming into this game SSU had a top 3 defense in the SIAC holding opponents to under 62 points. Savannah State made it very difficult for Edward Waters on offense shooting 6 of 24 as a team causing EWU players to be frustrated which resulted in several turnovers that SSU scored points off of.
In the first half, Savannah State capitalized on Edward Waters’s turnovers, scoring 20 points. Conversely, the SSU offense has struggled this season, ranking near the bottom half in points within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Savannah State dominated points in the paint (18 to 8), shooting 13 of 32 from the field as a team and 71% from the free-throw line. With their energy and hustle, Savannah State posed a challenge for Edward Waters, leading at halftime with a commanding score of 33-21. Head Coach Horace Broadnex and the Assistant coaches of Savannah State University were constantly motivating the team, emphasizing that “It’s zero to zero.”
Edward Waters’ second-half resurgence was impeccable, led by Michael Goliath. EWU heavily relied on the 3-pointer, shooting 45% from beyond the arc and 54% from the field as a team. The energy exerted by SSU in the first half began to fade. On the defensive end, Edward Waters turned up the intensity, harassing SSU guards and forcing several turnovers. EWU completely flipped the points off of turnovers, scoring 17 compared to Savannah State’s 5.
A freshman guard for Savannah State was benched after committing four turnovers. Edward Waters seized momentum, igniting the electricity inside the Adams-Jenkins Complex. They went on a 21-6 run to tie the game at 41 with 11:38 remaining. The two interstate rivals traded blows as the game progressed. Edward Waters held a 52-47 lead at the 5:25 mark, but SSU clawed back with an 8-2 run to regain the lead at 55-54 with 3:28 left.
With the game winding down, EWU freshman forward Amari Floyd made both of his free throws, giving Edward Waters a 2-point advantage at 59-57. However, a late free throw by Savannah State’s junior guard Ajay Plain narrowed the gap to 59-58 with 59 seconds remaining.
As the clock ticked away, EWU seemed poised for a remarkable comeback, but a controversial call with 21 seconds left caused an uproar in the stadium. Sophomore forward Chancellor Wilson was fouled by Amari Floyd and made both free throws, giving SSU a 60-59 lead in the closing minutes. Edward Waters still had hopes of winning, holding for the final shot, but their last attempt fell short, resulting in Savannah’s 60-59 victory.
Edward Water’s leading scorer was Goliath Mitchell with 11 points and 3 steals. Amari Floyd played an important role in the near comeback with 11 points as well.
Edward Water University will have to regroup as they travel to Columbia, SC to take on the Benedict College Tigers on January 29, 7:30 P.M. in HRC Arena.
Savannah State Tigers will continue on their road trip to Columbia, SC to face the Allen University Yellow Jackets on January 29 at 7:30 P.M. in John Hurst Adams Gymnasium.
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