NORFOLK, Va. – Mario Moody and Jordan Potts each scored 23 points as Bethune-Cookman snapped an eight-game losing streak with a crucial 72-70 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory at Norfolk State Monday night.

Potts, a junior, scored 10 of the Wildcats' final 12 points as they concluded a seven-game road trip by salvaging a split of a conference swing.

The only two points Potts didn't score in the final six minutes came from LaRon Smith on two free throws that gave the Wildcats (5-12 overall, 2-1 MEAC) a 66-64 lead with 1:03 remaining. Smith, who finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, had missed three of his first four attempts from the line.

Potts finished a three-point play with 22 seconds remaining and sank two free throws to make it a 71-64 B-CU lead with 13 seconds left.

“We were able to finish,” said B-CU Head Coach Gravelle Craig. “We kept our composure when the home team made a run. Our top players made plays at the end of the game.”

Moody, who finished with a career-high, scored the first 11 Wildcat points en route to a 17-point first half that saw B-CU turn a 24-16 deficit into a 33-30 halftime lead.

Two Potts free throws gave B-CU a 29-28 lead  with 1:16 left in the period. A Smith lay-up and two more Potts free throws extended the Wildcat lead to three.

The Wildcats, who led 51-42 on a Potts 3-pointer with 12:09 remaining,  got quality minutes from freshman Marquel Ingram, who finished with five points and four assists. Pott had six assists and was 10-11 from the line.

Jeff Short led the Spartans (6-12,2-1) with 19 points.

Bethune-Cookman returns home Saturday to face Coppin State.

HEAD COACH GRAVELLE CRAIG

"We kept our composure for the most part. We learned from the Hampton loss."

"Jordan is smart enough to make the right pass, so we try to put the ball in his hand . He doesn't have to take the three -- he can drive the lane and draw the foul."

"I have to let Mario take a couple of jumpers. He does a good job of rebounding and finishing. If he's making them, fine, if not..."

"Marquel stepped up and did a great job tonight."

MARIO MOODY

"We have players who make plays when their name is called. Everyone is in a rhythm now."

Everybody locked in tonight. We buckled up down the stretch."

"LaRon was big tonight. Those free throws were the difference. Potts played like a pit bull tonight, like he's supposed to."

LARON SMITH

"Everything went out the door when I went to the line. It wasn't about my statistics. It was about winning the game."

NOTES: B-CU is back above .500 in conference play for the first time since 2012; The Wildcats are currently tied for third ... This was the Wildcats' first victory in Virginia since beating Norfolk State in the quarterfinals of the 2013 MEAC tournament ... Ricky Johnson was hampered by illness and played just nine minutes, but managed to close to 15 points of 1,000 ... Josue Salaam got his first start of the season ... Potts has now scored 20 or more in four of the last six games.