NORFOLK, Va., (MEAC) — No. 4 seed Florida A&M opened the 2017 MEAC Basketball Tournament with a 65-62 win over No. 13 South Carolina State early Monday afternoon in first-round action at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
Ecenur Yurdakul led the Rattlers (12-18) with 13 points, while Florence Ouattara added 10 points and Shakerrya Morrison grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
FAMU opened the game on a 10-0 run, before the Bulldogs ended the first quarter on a 14-6 spurt to close the gap to two after 10 minutes of play. S.C. State then outscored FAMU 21-16 in the second quarter, taking a one-point lead into the half after a three from Brittany Drumgoole.
But Florida A&M opened up a five-point lead after three quarters, and the Bulldogs could never mount a charge in the closing minutes.
S.C. State had four players in double figures, with Drumgoole’s 13 leading the way.