ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The North Carolina A&T men's basketball team moved one step closer to their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular-season title since 1992 defeating S.C. State, 76-65, in men's basketball action Monday night.
 
The win sets up a winner-take all scenario between two heated rivals in N.C. A&T (16-14, 12-3 MEAC) and the N.C. Central Eagles (16-13, 12-3 MEAC) on Thursday. The Eagles, the MEAC preseason favorites, defeated Bethune-Cookman on Monday to set up the showdown for the regular-season title 7 p.m., Thursday in Durham, N.C.  
 
The Aggies are guaranteed at least one of the top two seeds next week at the MEAC Basketball Championship Tournament after Monday night's win. 
 
"A good win tonight against a gritty South Carolina State team," said N.C. A&T acting head coach Will Jones. "They pushed us to the brink and I'm happy with the way the guys came out and responded."
 
Senior guard Andre Jackson led the way for the Aggies posting 18 points on 4-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. Senior forward Ronald Jackson followed with 17 points and a team-high six rebounds. Junior guard Kameron Langley had 14 points and 12 assists and sophomore wing Tyrone Lyons had 11 points to round out double-figure scoring for the Aggies.
 
Langley now needs just 18 dimes to break the MEAC all-time assist record with one regular-season game remaining and the MEAC tournament approaching. 
 
The Aggies led for most of the game, but the Bulldogs (11-17, 6-10 MEAC) had the lead down to three, 58-55, with 8:43 remaining in the game. N.C. A&T utilized a quick 7-0 run to jump back up by 10 and S.C. State never got any closer than six the rest of the way.
 
In the first half, the Aggies quickly fell behind 6-0 due to some poor shot selection. N.C. A&T settled in and went on a 14-4 run to take the lead, 14-10. A three-minute scoring drought saw the Aggies turn a 25-21 advantage into a 32-25 deficit, but N.C. A&T was able to finish the half strong and take a 37-35 lead into the half.
 
Damani Applewhite was the high man for the Bulldogs with 13 points. The Aggies will now look to N.C. Central as the two teams will battle it out for the regular-season MEAC title on national television as the game will be aired live on ESPNU. The Aggies won the first matchup in at Corbett Sports Center, 77-60. 
 
If the Aggies win, it will be their first regular-season championship since the 1991-92 season when they tied Howard for the title. It will be their first outright title since the 1987-88 season.