Durham, N.C. — South Carolina State used a strong second half and balanced scoring to defeat NC Central 80–64 Thursday evening at McDougald-McLendon Arena in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's basketball action.

The Bulldogs improved to 9-21 overall and 7-7 in conference play, while the Eagles fell to 12-17 and 8-6 in the MEAC.

South Carolina State set the tone early, shooting efficiently and controlling the tempo. The Bulldogs led 37-26 at halftime after holding NC Central to just 25.8 percent shooting in the opening period.

NC Central showed improvement offensively in the second half, shooting over 40 percent from the field, but South Carolina State answered each run and maintained control. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles 43-38 after the break to secure the 16-point victory.

Owen Bronston Jr. led South Carolina State with 14 points while knocking down four three-pointers. Florian Tenebay added 13 points and four assists, and Jayden Johnson contributed 10 points and six assists. The Bulldogs also received solid interior play from Jamal Miles, who added nine points and seven rebounds.

South Carolina State's depth proved to be a major factor, as the Bulldogs' bench outscored NC Central's reserves 49-18.

NC Central was led by Tekao Carpenter with 21 points, including three three-pointers. Gage Latimore added 14 points and six rebounds, while Ryan Archley chipped in 13 points.

The Bulldogs shot 44.8 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point range, compared to 32.8 percent shooting for the Eagles.

South Carolina State also dominated for much of the contest, leading for more than 35 minutes and building a lead as large as 17 points in the second half.

Both teams committed 17 turnovers, but the Bulldogs capitalized with 26 points in the paint and 19 fast-break points to help seal the win.

South Carolina State will look to carry the momentum into its next MEAC matchup, while NC Central aims to bounce back in its upcoming conference contest.

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South Carolina State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 14 sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, softball, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's soccer and football with all teams competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), except for women's soccer. 
 
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