Washington, DC— James "J-Byrd" Daniel, III scored a game-high 24 points and Marcel Boyd added a double double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough as Eric Eaves came off the bench to score 19 points and lead four player in double figures to give South Carolina State a hard-fought 71-63 win over Howard in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's game at Burr Gymnasium.
In the tightly contested affair, Daniel did all he could to give his team the victory but some uncharacteristicly poor free throw shooting and missed opportunities proved to be the difference.
A reserve who leads the team in scoring, Eaves came off the Bulldogs bench to make the difference down the stretch, scoring his team's last five points on a three-point play and a key basket with the shot clocking winding down.
"We played hard but we didn't shoot the ball well," lamented Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry, "With a minute to go in the game, we had opportunities to make plays. They had opportunities to make plays; they just made the shots."
Eaves connected on 7 of 9 from the field on an array of shots. Gabriel McCray (18 points), Ed Stephens (15) and Tashombe Riley (10 points) all supplied baskets during various stretches of the game.
The Bison (11-17, 5-8 in the MEAC) played from behind most of the game until Daniel ignited a rally that gave his team a brief lead at 57-56 at the 5:30 mark of the second half.
But the Bulldogs (16-12, 11-3 in the MEAC) came right back on a three pointer by McCray that gave his team the lead at 59-57. Howard continued to battle and was able to tie the score at 61 at the 2:48 mark on a three-point play by Dalique Mingo (six points).
It was then SC State's Greg Mortimer's turn as he buried a three pointer to make the score, 64-61. Daniel, the nation's leading scorer coming into the game at 27.9 points, knocked down two free throws to get within 64-63 at the 1:41 mark. Following a steal and a layup by McCray,
Eaves put it away as the Bison never scored again.
Daniel led all scorers with 24 points—14 coming in the second half-- while Marcel Boyd recorded his ninth double double of the year. Damon Collins contributed 10 for the hosts who dropped their seventh in the last eight games while SC State has won six of its last seven.
The Bison, who are second in the MEAC in free throw shooting at 75 percent, had an off night, converting on 19 of 28 for only 67 percent.
"The missed free throw were huge; we lead the league in free throw percentage," he noted. "But we just didn't get it done tonight. You make those free throws and it's a different game."
NEXT UP: The Bison close out the 2015-16 home season when they entertain Florida A&M on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. It will be Senior Night for the members of the team who will be playing their last game at.
