Howard Bison Defeat South Carolina State Bulldogs in MEAC Semifinal

Howard cruises to 15-point victory over SC State in conference tournament matchup

Mar. 13, 2026 at 10:24am

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The Howard Bison defeated the South Carolina State Bulldogs 84-69 in the MEAC Semifinal on Friday, March 13th. Howard, the #2 seed in the conference tournament, led wire-to-wire and pulled away in the second half to secure the double-digit victory over the #6 seed Bulldogs.

Why it matters

This win advances Howard to the MEAC Championship game, where they will look to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. For South Carolina State, the loss ends their season after a tough 10-21 campaign, though they showed fight in keeping the game close for much of the night.

The details

Howard was led by junior guard Bryce Harris, who scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Cam Gillus added 15 points and 7 assists for the Bison. South Carolina State was paced by senior forward Jayden Johnson, who had 18 points and 6 rebounds in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM EDT.
  • Howard has now won 10 straight games against conference opponents.

The players

Bryce Harris

A junior guard for the Howard Bison who led all scorers with 22 points in the win.

Cam Gillus

A key contributor for Howard, scoring 15 points and dishing out 7 assists.

Jayden Johnson

The senior forward for South Carolina State who had a team-high 18 points in the losing effort.

Howard Bison

The #2 seed in the MEAC Tournament who cruised to a 15-point victory to advance to the conference championship game.

South Carolina State Bulldogs

The #6 seed in the MEAC Tournament whose season came to an end with the loss, finishing the year at 10-21 overall.

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What they’re saying

“We knew South Carolina State would come out and compete, but our guys did a great job of setting the tone early and maintaining our focus throughout the game.”

— Kenneth Blakeney, Head Coach, Howard Bison (Howard Athletics)

“It's tough to end the season this way, but I'm proud of the fight our team showed all year long. We'll use this as motivation to come back stronger next season.”

— Jayden Johnson, Senior Forward, South Carolina State Bulldogs (The Times and Democrat)

What’s next

Howard will face the winner of the other MEAC Semifinal matchup in the conference championship game on Sunday, March 15th. The winner will earn an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Howard's dominant performance showcased their depth and talent, as they cruised to victory despite a spirited effort from the underdog Bulldogs. This win keeps the Bison's NCAA Tournament hopes alive, while South Carolina State's season comes to a close after a challenging year.