DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive stands and critical free throws in the final seconds, the Howard Bison held off a furious second-half rally by the North Carolina A&T Aggies to secure a 73-69 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Bison, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half, saw their advantage whittled down to a single possession in the game’s frantic final minute before converting at the foul line to close it out. The win improved Howard’s record to 6-5, while North Carolina A&T fell to an even 4-4.

Howard established control early behind an efficient offensive first half, shooting 50% from the field to build a 41-30 lead at the break. The Bison’s trio of Cam Gillus, Bryce Harris and Danas Kazakevicius proved difficult to contain, each finishing with 19 points. Gillus, a guard from Falls Church, Virginia, added six assists, while Harris contributed three blocks and Kazakevicius, the 6-foot-10 forward, had two blocks and two assists.

North Carolina A&T’s offense struggled to find consistency, shooting just 42.9% overall and 25% from three-point range. However, the Aggies compensated with relentless effort on the glass, outrebounding Howard 42-31 and grabbing 14 offensive boards that led to 15 second-chance points. Defensively, they were anchored by KJ Debrick of Springfield, Illinois, who swatted away six Howard shots.

The Aggies chipped away at the deficit throughout the second half, leveraging their defensive pressure. A key sequence saw them trim a 10-point Howard lead down to four midway through the period with a series of stops and baskets from Lewis Walker and Trent Middleton. Walker, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, finished with 15 points, while Middleton, a Philadelphia native, led the Aggies with 18.

The most crucial stretch of the game unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With Howard clinging to a 69-67 lead, Aggies guard Zamoku Weluche-Ume of London, England, tipped in a missed shot to tie the game with just 12 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing inbound play, Howard’ Gillus was fouled and sent to the line. He calmly sank both free throws to put the Bison back ahead 71-69. North Carolina A&T called a timeout to advance the ball, but their attempt to tie or take the lead resulted in a turnover. Howard’s Harris was immediately fouled and sealed the victory by making two more free throws with five seconds left, providing the final margin.

Despite the loss, North Carolina A&T won the efficiency battle in the second half, holding Howard to 32 points after the intermission. The Aggies’ offensive rating of 99.8 on 69 possessions was narrowly bested by Howard’s mark of 102.4 on 71 possessions, underscoring the tight nature of the contest.

Howard’s ability to draw fouls and convert at the line proved decisive. The Bison attempted 28 free throws, making 19, compared to the Aggies’ 15 attempts and 11 makes. Alex Cotton added six points for Howard, while for North Carolina A&T, Weluche-Ume scored 10 points and Debrick added eight points to go with his six blocks.

The game was part of a multi-team event hosted at Duke’s famed arena, drawing an announced crowd of 780.

North Carolina A&T will look to return to the win column when they host Maryland-Eastern Shore on Friday. Howard continues its road stretch with a game at Hampton on Saturday.