SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) - Ameer Ali scored 19 points and Kevin Thompson 17 as Morgan State defeated South Carolina State 73-68 on Saturday.
A layup by Thompson broke a 57-57 tie with 6:58 remaining and put the Bears (3-1, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) ahead to stay.
Free throws by Ali and Thompson and another layup by Thompson gave Morgan State a 67-61 lead with 3:07 left.
The Bears used a 14-0 run to open a 25-11 lead with 8:24 left in the first half. They scored 15 points off turnovers in the half to South Carolina State's three.
The Bulldogs (4-11, 0-2), who have lost nine straight, rallied from a 48-38 second-half deficit to tie the game at 55.
DeWayne Jackson contributed 14 points for Morgan State and Shaquille Duncan blocked three shots in 11 minutes.
Brandon Riley led the Bulldogs with 26 points and Omar Sanders had 13 points and 14 rebounds.
