Updated

Mike Phillips scored 17 of his career-high 26 points in the second half to lead Howard to its most lopsided victory of the season, 65-53 over South Carolina State on Monday.

Each of the Bison's prior four victories had been by four points or fewer.

In a game that featured five ties and four lead changes, Phillips helped the Bison (5-18, 3-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) take the lead for good midway through the second half.

Phillips, Howard's leading scorer at 12.7 points per game, took over with the Bison trailing 40-36. During an 18-6 run, he scored 10 points, finishing it on a bank shot with 3:56 left to extend the Bison's edge to 54-46.

Phillips also was 10 of 10 from the free-throw line. Howard hit 17 of 19 free throws in the second half to help put the game away and the Bulldogs (6-17, 2-8) never got closer than four points over the game's final five minutes.