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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Stanley Elliott scored 16 points to lead Bethune-Cookman to a 62-53 win over South Carolina State on Tuesday night in the opening round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats (16-16) advanced to the quarterfinals where they will take on fifth-seeded North Carolina Central on Thursday night.

Kevin Dukes added 13 points and Ricky Johnson had 10 for Bethune-Cookman, which has won three straight games overall and has now beat the Bulldogs in all three meetings between the teams this season.

The Wildcats opened this time on a 6-0 run and never trailed in the contest, taking a 27-18 halftime lead and securing the win as each team scored 35 points in the second half.

Khalif Toombs led 13th-seeded South Carolina State (5-26) with 13 points, while both Presano Bell and Brandon Riley chipped in 12 apiece. The Bulldogs closed their season on an eight-game losing skid.