NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — The Howard Bison used a decisive advantage in transition and capitalized on North Carolina Central mistakes to secure a 70-63 victory in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Constant Convocation Center.

The win improved Howard’s record to 23-10 overall, while North Carolina Central concluded its season at 14-18.

The most critical phase of the contest came early in the second half, when Howard unleashed a game-defining run to transform a narrow halftime lead into a commanding advantage. Leading just 26-23 at the break after a sluggish offensive first half from both sides, the Bison exploded out of the locker room.

Howard opened the second period on a 15-2 surge over the first four and a half minutes, swiftly extending their three-point lead to 41-25. The run was fueled by the very elements that defined Howard’s success all night: relentless fast breaks and points off turnovers. Cedric Taylor, who finished with 13 points, ignited the run with a putback layup. Cam Gillus, who played all 40 minutes and scored 14, and Alex Cotton, who added nine, connected from beyond the arc during the burst. The Bison’s defense simultaneously stifled the Eagles, forcing rushed shots and turnovers that immediately fueled their transition attack.

This explosive stretch proved insurmountable for North Carolina Central. While the Eagles showed resilience, chipping away at the deficit behind the efforts of Dionte Johnson and Kelechi Okworogwo, they could never fully recover from that second-half onslaught. Every time the Eagles threatened to close the gap, Howard answered with a basket in transition or a critical defensive stop.

The statistical ledger told the story of Howard’s strategic dominance. The Bison outscored the Eagles 23-9 in fastbreak points and held a 16-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Howard’s ability to convert North Carolina Central’s 11 turnovers into immediate offense, often before the Eagle defense could get set, was the central theme of the game. While the teams were nearly even in points in the paint, with Howard holding a slim 24-22 edge, the Bison’s superior speed and execution in the open court created the separation.

Howard’s offense was balanced and efficient, with four players scoring in double figures. Alongside Gillus and Taylor, Bryce Harris and Ose Okojie each contributed 14 points. Harris also added two blocks and was a force on the defensive end. Okojie, from Brampton, Canada, provided energy on both ends, adding three assists.

North Carolina Central was led by Dionte Johnson of the Bronx, New York, who scored 14 points and dished out four assists in 39 minutes of action. Kelechi Okworogwo, also from the Bronx, provided interior presence with 11 points and three blocked shots. Gage Lattimore of Greensboro, North Carolina, added 12 points, and Jae’Daun Slack came off the bench to contribute 11 points for the Eagles.

The first half was a defensive struggle, characterized by missed shots and physical play. North Carolina Central held an early lead, but Howard slowly grinded its way ahead, taking its first multi-possession lead late in the period. The Eagles shot just 23 points in the first half, a figure Howard would nearly double in the second half alone with 44 points.

The victory continued Howard’s recent dominance in the series, having beaten North Carolina Central by 33 points just three weeks prior. Entering the game as a heavy favorite according to analytics and betting markets, the Bison validated that status with a performance built on defensive pressure and opportunistic scoring.

For North Carolina Central, the loss ends a season of inconsistency, while Howard, with 23 wins, looks ahead to postseason play.