NORFOLK, Va. – Bethune-Cookman's bid for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament championship came to a sudden end Wednesday as South Carolina State upset the Lady Wildcats 56-48 in a quarterfinal game.

Amber Howard scored 20 points as the Lady Bulldogs (13-15) became the second ninth seed in as many years to knock out the top-seeded team. South Carolina State will face the Coppin State-Morgan State winner Friday at noon.

Taylor Houston posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Wildcats, now 18-12.

“We came up short, and we didn't expect to lose the first round. Houston said.”We went in prepared, the coaches prepared us. Their shots fell and ours didn't.”

B-CU was just 29.6 percent (16-54)  from the field including 2-14 from three-point range. The Lady Wildcats did outrebound the Lady Bulldogs 47-34, but 20 turnovers helped produce 26 South Carolina State points.

“Our 20 turnovers didn't help us because they were able to make plays off of it,” said B-CU coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. “Our team was definitely ready to play. We had a tough time.”

Trailing 30-23 in the third quarter, Bethune-Cookman scored nine unanswered points to take a 32-30 lead on Ashanti Hunt's lay-up with 2:55 remaining. South Carolina State managed to regain a four-point lead, but a Houston fast-break lay-up sent the game in the fourth quarter tied at 36.

Hunt's free throw gave B-CU a brief one-point lead, but consecutive Ashleigh Outler three-pointers triggered a 12-1 Lady Bulldog run that gave them a 48-38 lead with 4:44 to play.

The Lady Wildcats could never get close than six points as Howard sank seven free throws down the stretch to keep B-CU at bay.

Bethune-Cookman stormed out to an early 15-7 lead, but mustered just four second quarter points as South Carolina State took a 20-19 halftime lead.

Junior Kailyn Williams, the MEAC defensive player of the year, scored 14 points and nine rebounds while Hunt finished with 10 points and nine boards.