JACKSON, Tenn. – The Hawks won their final game of the GSC-SIAC Challenge, defeating the Spring Hill College Badgers 84-60.

Phil Taylor led Shorter with 35 points, while Alijah Bennett and Cole Birchfield also scored in double figures.

The Hawks were hot from beyond the arc early in the first quarter, as the team opened the game with three three-pointers, but still trailed the Badgers by two, 11-9.

Spring Hill went on a 9-2 run to take a nine-point advantage, but Birchfield's four-point play with 7:59 left in the opening half pulled Shorter within three, 20-17.

The Hawks took the lead via a Taylor jumper late in the first but were unable to pull away. Spring Hill battled back, but Bennett's conversion with six seconds remaining in the half gave Shorter the lead for good.

The Hawks led by one at the intermission, 33-32, and never trailed in the second.

Taylor single-handedly took Shorter on an 8-2 run to start the final half by converting three of his first four shots.

The Hawks led by double-digits for the first time with 12:58 to go when Yephnick Adelphonse scored his first points of the contest.

SU's advantage fell below 10 points just prior to the 12-minute mark, but from there Shorter took control and led by as many as 25.

Mike Wickliff's three-pointer extended the Hawks lead to 22 with 4:49 left in the period, and the team never led by less than 20 points for the remainder of the game.

Amonte Potter's basket with 16 seconds left gave Shorter a 25-point lead, its largest of the game, and after a Spring Hill free throw, the Hawks took the victory, 84-60.

Taylor led Shorter with 35 points. Bennett and for also scored in double figures, adding 14 and 10 points respectively. Brandon Fischer had 15 points from the Badgers.

For the game the Hawks shot 44.3% from the floor, including 13 of 31 from beyond the arc. Spring Hill hit 43.6% of its attempts but made only 5 of 21 three-pointers.

Shorter will return to action on Thursday, November 17, at home against Fort Valley State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.