Bison Get First Conference Win of The Season

Daytona Beach, FL--Howard scored its last six points from the free throw line to hold off Bethune-Cookman College, 63-58 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's game in Moore Gymnasium. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bison (3-9 overall, 1-2 in the MEAC) and gave them their first conference win of the season.

Howard controlled the tempo through most of the game on the scoring of Ron Williamson (13 points) in the first half and Kyle Williams, who scored 12 of his team-high 14 points after intermission.

The Wildcats (1-8 overall, 1-2 in the MEAC), who dropped their sixth straight, shot only 33 percent (20 of 59) from the field and had problems with the Bison's zone defense. But Maurice Riddick (17 points) and Pape Ba (16 points) helped Bethune-Cookman reduce the deficit to three before the Bison got some much-needed help from its bench. Sophomore forward James Wilkinson came off the bench to score seven of his nine points in the second half, including two key free throws that helped Howard up a tenuous three-point lead back to five.

Senior forward Mario Grove (8 points, 9 rebounds) also made some key plays, particularly on the boards.

Howard will attempt to extend the current streak when it takes on the Florida A&M University on Monday, January 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Tallahassee, FL.