DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Howard used a dominant second-half surge fueled by defensive pressure and efficient offense to pull away from North Carolina Central for an 83-69 victory in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at a packed McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium.

A crowd of 2,318 saw the Bison (11-8, 2-1 MEAC) overcome a slow start from deep by clamping down defensively after halftime, turning a narrow three-point lead into a comfortable road win. The Eagles (7-12, 2-1) saw their two-game conference win streak snapped despite a game-high 21 points from Tekao Carpenter.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded early in the second half. Leading 35-32 at the break despite shooting just 2 of 13 from three-point range, Howard emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose. The Bison opened the half on a 12-4 run over the first four minutes, capped by a Cedric Taylor layup that pushed the lead to 47-36 and forced a North Carolina Central timeout.

Howard’s defense was the catalyst. The Bison recorded 11 steals for the game, with several leading directly to transition opportunities during the decisive spurt. They also limited the Eagles to just one assist in the second half until the final minutes, disrupting offensive flow and creating 14 total turnovers.

Bryce Harris led a balanced Howard attack with 20 points, while Ose Okojie added 19 and Taylor finished with 17 points and four assists. The Bison shot 50 percent from the field for the game, making up for a 6-for-23 performance from beyond the arc by scoring 48 points in the paint and converting 11 of 15 free throws.

North Carolina Central, which entered the game with a 52.3 percent win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, struggled to find consistent offense outside of Carpenter. Gage Lattimore contributed 14 points and Jae’Daun Slack added 10. Point guard Dionte Johnson dished out nine assists but also committed seven of his team’s turnovers.

The Eagles stayed close early by capitalizing on Howard’s cold three-point shooting and using their size to protect the rim, finishing with eight blocks. A three-pointer from Carpenter with 4:23 left in the first half gave the Eagles a 29-26 lead, their largest of the game. Howard responded by closing the half on a 9-3 run to take the lead for good.

Howard’s offensive efficiency proved decisive. The Bison scored 83 points on 71 possessions, an offensive rating of 116.7, while the Eagles managed just 69 points on 69 possessions for a rating of 99.8. Howard also won the battle on the glass with 14 offensive rebounds leading to 19 second-chance points.

The victory moves Howard above .500 in MEAC play ahead of a non-conference matchup with Morehouse on Monday. North Carolina Central looks to rebound next Saturday when it hosts Delaware State.

The total score of 152 points went well over the pregame over/under line of 139.5. Howard covered the spread as a 2.5-point favorite.