DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Pendarvis Williams and Kyle O'Quinn combined for 42 points to help Norfolk State secure its first 20-win season in 16 years with a 75-72 victory at Bethune-Cookman on Saturday at Moore Gymnasium.

Williams, who missed the team's previous game due to illness, poured in 22 points in his return to the lineup and O'Quinn scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half for the Spartans (20-9, 11-3 MEAC), who also tied the program record for MEAC wins in a season. NSU has won 11 MEAC games twice previously, in 2007-08 (11-5) and 2004-05 (11-7). NSU's last 20-win season was a 23-4 ledger in 1995-96, the program's next-to-last season in Division II.

It didn't come easily against the Wildcats (13-16, 9-5). Neither team led by more than seven points in the game, which featured 12 ties and 18 lead-changes. Both teams shot at least 50 percent from the floor, but the difference was a combined 33 second-half points from Williams and O'Quinn and NSU's 83 percent free throw shooting in the stanza.

Both teams struggled on the offensive end in the first half. NSU shot 36 percent from the floor (8-of-22) and BCU shot 37.5 percent (6-of-16) in the first period. But the Wildcats drew 13 first-half fouls from NSU, outscored the Spartans 10-4 from the foul line and saddled O'Quinn with two fouls, limiting the Spartans' center to just three minutes of playing time in the half.

The second half was a different story. NSU hit two-thirds of its field goal attempts after halftime (14-of-21, 67 percent) while the Wildcats connected on 56 percent (19-of-34). NSU took its first lead of the half on a 3-pointer by Marcos Tamares two and a half minutes in. That ignited a 10-2 Spartan run that was capped by a Williams 3-pointer that gave NSU a 37-30 lead with 15:37 remaining. That would be the largest lead of the game for either team.

The Wildcats had the answer, a 14-6 spurt that put them ahead 44-43 with 12:04 left. Kevin Dukes, who scored a team-high 16 points, hit two 3-pointers in the run. Neither team would lead by more than four points the rest of the way.

Paul Scotland hit 1-of-2 free throws with 7:17 left to give BCU a 56-53 advantage. NSU answered, though, with four straight points on an O'Quinn jumper and two Williams free throws to retake the lead, at 57-56. Soon thereafter, O'Quinn broke the 12th and final tie of the game with another jumper to nudge NSU in front, 63-61, with 3:59 remaining.

NSU wrapped up the win at the line, making 10-of-12 in the final four minutes. NSU swingman Rodney McCauley had a chance to put the game out of reach with two seconds left. After making the first free throw for a 75-72 Spartans' lead, McCauley missed the second. But Dukes 3-pointer at the buzzer missed as NSU broke its three-game regular-season losing streak against the Wildcats.

The Spartans shot 75 percent from the free throw line for the game (24-of-32). After making just 4-of-8 in the first half, NSU hit 20-of-24 in the second.

O'Quinn hit 6-of-7 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line. Williams was 6-of-10 from the floor, 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. It was Williams' first double-digit performance in his last five games, dating to an 11-point performance against Coppin State on Jan. 30. Tamares added 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting for the Spartans, while Jamel Fuentes had a game-high seven assists and O'Quinn blocked four shots.

BCU had four players in double figures, led by Dukes' 16. Anthony Breeze added 12, Javoris Bryant 11 and Garrius Holloman 10 points and 12 rebounds.
 
With the win, NSU kept pace with Delaware State (also 11-3 MEAC), one game behind Savannah State (12-2) with two games left. A win Monday at Florida A&M would assure NSU of a first-round MEAC Tournament bye.