DOVER, DE ? South Carolina State blistered the nets with 58.7 percent accuracy from the field Saturday in racing pass Delaware State 69-52 in the MEAC opener for the Bulldogs.
In what second-year SC State head coach Tim Carter called the most productive effort of the season by his team, the Bulldogs connected on 27 of 46 field goal attempts from the field, including a 7-8 effort from 3-point range.
“It was certainly our best-played game of the season,” said an elated Carter. “We shot the ball extremely well from the field, from the 3-point line and from the free-throw line. We did a great job in executing and remained focused throughout the game. The only negative was the turnovers (20).
“Anytime you go on the road in this league,” he continued “and get a win against a team and a program that has been dominant in the conference, it’s a great feeling. But, it’s just one win and we need to keep up our intensity level and try to build on this Monday against Maryland-Eastern Shore.”
The Bulldogs leveled their record at 6-6 on the season and improved to 1-1 in the league with the victory.
Freshman Jimmy Williams, one of four Bulldogs in double figures, spearheaded the effort with 15 points, with his entire total coming on five field goals from behind the arc.
Senior Jason Johnson chipped in 14 points, along with seven rebounds, Jason Flagler added 12 points and Carrio Bennett 10 and a game-high six assists. Jessie Burton, who was perfect from the field ? 3-3, including 1-1 on 3-pointers ? contributed seven points, as did Josh Jackson, who tied Johnson for game-high rebounding honors with seven.
The Hornets, who were playing for the first time since an 88-50 loss at Notre Dame Dec. 20, fell to 2-14 overall and 1-1 in the league.
Donald Johnson had 11 points to lead Delaware State, which also got 10 points each from Frisco Sandidge and Marcus Neal in the loss.
Delaware State, which has been one of the best shooting teams in the MEAC in recent years, was limited to 35.6 percent from the field by a swarming SC State man-to-man defense. Carter’s team also enjoyed a 37-23 edge on the boards.
The Bulldogs took control early, breaking away from a 7-7 tie with 14:15 remaining on the first-half clock with 19-2 run that put SC State ahead 26-9 when Flagler put in a layup off a feed from Burton with 6:07 left in the half.
Eight straight points by the Hornets closed the gap to 26-17, but a 3-pointer by Williams, his second of the contest, ignited a 7-2 run the sent SC State to the locker room ahead 33-19.
Williams opened the final stanza with his third basket from long range as the shot clock was winding down to push the SC State advantage to 36-19 with 19:25 left. A 3-pointer by Bennett with 14:02 showing put the Bulldogs ahead by 20, at 48-28 with 14:02 showing, and the closest the Hornets came after that was 16 points twice, the last time at 63-47 on an inside basket by Sandidge with 5:13 remaining.
SC State, however, got the next four points to push the lead back to 20 in winning going away.
The Bulldogs will try for a 2-0 start in the MEAC Monday when they face Maryland-Eastern Shore in the second game of a league doubleheader at Princess Anne, Md. The contest begins at 7:30 p.m. and will follow a 5:30 p.m. matchup of the women’s squads.