HOWARD, Texas (Interstat) — Terry Copeland delivered a dominant 31-point, 11-rebound performance to power the Howard College Hawks to a 96-75 victory over Daytona State College in a men’s junior college basketball game Monday night.

The Hawks, improving to 28-5, used a decisive second-quarter surge to pull away from the Falcons, who fell to 23-8. Howard outscored Daytona State 54-26 after the opening period, turning a close game into a comfortable win.

The most important stretch of the game came early in the second quarter. Leading 50-48, the Hawks unleashed a 16-2 run over a three-minute span to seize control. The run was fueled by Howard’s efficiency and Daytona State’s mistakes. It featured a layup and a free throw from Copeland, a three-pointer from Brandon Ivery, a layup from Dace Pleasant and a tip-in from Copeland, capitalizing on multiple Falcon turnovers and missed shots. That burst extended Howard’s lead to 66-50 and Daytona State never threatened again.

Howard’s offense operated with precision, scoring 96 points on just 75 possessions for an offensive rating of 128.0. The Hawks shot 57.1% from the field (36 of 63) and 81% from the free-throw line (17 of 21). They also dominated the glass, outrebounding the Falcons 42-28.

Copeland was the catalyst, making 13 field goals and adding five offensive rebounds. Ivery provided strong support with 21 points and eight rebounds. Pleasant scored 15 points, while Kuai Deng added 13 points and eight rebounds. Elijah Tshibangu facilitated the offense with six assists.

Daytona State, which shot just 41.3% from the field and 15 of 44 from three-point range, was led by Tyrese Lacey’s 17 points and five assists. Adrian Shackleton scored 13 points, all in the first half, and Janiel De Los Santos added 11 points. Noah Mendy finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The game began at a frantic pace, with both teams trading baskets. Shackleton hit two early three-pointers for Daytona State, but Pleasant answered with two of his own for Howard. The Falcons held a narrow 49-42 lead after a high-scoring first quarter, but the Hawks’ defensive intensity and offensive execution in the second quarter proved insurmountable.

Howard’s victory was its fourth in a row, while Daytona State saw a two-game winning streak snapped. The Hawks entered the game as a significant favorite according to predictive metrics and lived up to that billing with a comprehensive performance, particularly after the first-quarter shootout settled.