NORFOLK, VA. -- The new season has begun, and No. 10 Howard University, Men's basketball team, is on the right side of the ledger knocking off No. 7 South Carolina State University Tuesday night at the Norfolk Scope, beating the Bulldogs 70-63 to advance to the quarterfinals of the MEAC Tournament.

Howard's Charles Williams got the night started with a long ball from the wing at the 18:41 mark, sparking a 10-0 run. The Bulldogs finally got on the board at the 15:26 mark.

The Bulldogs traded baskets with the Bison before Howard strung a 7-2 run to extend the lead 26-15 with five minutes to go in the first half. South Carolina State ended the half on a 7-3 run, Howard went into intermission leading 29-22.

HU held SCSU to 25 percent (8-of-32) shooting from the floor and 0-for-7 from beyond the arc.

South Carolina State came out of intermission on a 16-10 run over the first six minutes to close the gap 39-38 with 13:31 left in regulation. That was the closest the Bulldogs would get as the Bison held on, outscoring SCSU 31-25 the rest of the way.

Howard led coast-to-coast for the first time this season.

Senior C.J. Williams, the MEAC's all-time scoring leader, scored a game-high 24 points, knocking down three shots from downtown extending his collegiate career by at least one game.

Kyle Foster added 18 points, converting 8-of-12 field goals in 24 minutes of the bench and five rebounds. Zion Cousins recorded a game-high 12 rebounds.

UP NEXT:

Howard will be back in action in less than 24 hours to face No. 2 seed North Carolina A&T, tomorrow night's game is scheduled for 8 p.m., March 11.

HU fell to A&T in a close one; the Aggies escaped with a 71-67 win. Howard lead at halftime. The Bison shot 48 percent from the floor while holding North Carolina A&T to 38 percent shooting. The Achilles heel was the Bison 30 turnovers.