C.J. Reed scored 20 points and Garrius Holloman added 17 as Bethune-Cookman protected its spot atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 76-72 victory over South Carolina State on Saturday.
The Wildcats (18-11, 12-3), who led by 13 points with 4:51 to play, held off a late rally by the Bulldogs (8-20, 4-11) to notch their most wins in a season since becoming an NCAA Division I member.
By winning its fifth straight game and eighth in its last 10, Bethune-Cookman held on to its slim conference lead over Morgan State, which began play Saturday with a 10-3 MEAC mark.
The Bulldogs' Darnell Porter scored 21 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, including a couple of late 3-pointers that narrowed the Wildcats' advantage. Porter was the only Bulldog to score in double figures.
Javoris Bryant joined Reed and Holloman in double figures for the Wildcats with 12.
