ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — In a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchup defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive second-half surge, the South Carolina State Bulldogs pulled away from the North Carolina Central Eagles for an 85-72 victory on Wednesday night at a sparsely attended SHM Memorial Center.

A crowd of 350 watched the Bulldogs, who entered the game with a 6-18 overall record, improve to 7-18 and 3-7 in the MEAC. The Eagles fell to 10-15 and 4-6 in conference play, unable to sustain momentum from a narrow home win over Morgan State just two days prior.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the second half. After a tightly contested opening period that saw South Carolina State take a slim 36-30 lead into the break, the Bulldogs erupted with a 13-2 run over a four-minute span. The surge transformed a 38-36 contest into a 51-38 Bulldog advantage, establishing a double-digit cushion that North Carolina Central would never seriously threaten.

South Carolina State’s offensive execution was the story of the night. The Bulldogs scored 85 points on just 67 possessions, translating to an elite offensive rating of 126.7. They shot 53.6% from the field, including 10 of 22 from three-point range, and were a near-perfect 15 of 17 from the free throw line. This efficiency starkly contrasted with North Carolina Central’s struggles at the charity stripe, where they made only 14 of 24 attempts.

Guard Jayden Johnson, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, led all scorers with 20 points for South Carolina State, adding six assists. He was complemented by Christopher Parker of Columbia, S.C., who scored 18 points, and a balanced attack that saw four other Bulldogs reach double figures: Cameron Clark with 11 points and six assists, James Morrow with 12 points, and Owen Bronston with 12 points, including three three-pointers during the critical second-half run.

North Carolina Central, which shot a respectable 48.1% from the field, was led by Gage Lattimore’s 16 points and four assists. Kelechi Okworogwo added 15 points and Jae’Daun Slack contributed 17. However, the Eagles’ 11 turnovers and inability to get consistent stops during South Carolina State’s hot stretches proved costly. The Eagles did hold advantages in fastbreak points, 14-7, and offensive rebounds, 9-6, but it was not enough to counter the Bulldogs’ scoring clinic.

The most important sequence of the game, which cemented South Carolina State’s control, began with the Bulldogs leading 38-36. A three-pointer from Noah Treadwell, assisted by Johnson, pushed the lead to five. After an Eagles miss, James Morrow finished a dunk off another Johnson assist. Following another North Carolina Central empty possession, Johnson drove for a layup to cap the run, forcing an Eagles timeout with the score 45-38. The Bulldogs’ ball movement and shot-making during this stretch, converting on five consecutive scoring possessions, effectively decided the contest.

The result defied the pregame betting line, which had installed North Carolina Central as a slight 2-point favorite. The combined score of 157 points also sailed over the projected total of 141.

South Carolina State looks to build on the win when they travel to face Norfolk State on Saturday. North Carolina Central will aim to regroup on the road at Howard, also on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Durham, N.C., on March 5.