NORFOLK, Va. -- Bethune-Cookman cut a 13-point deficit down to two, but Howard used a trio of Raymond Bethea three-pointers to regain a double-figure lead as the Bison ended the Wildcats' season with a 80-71 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinal decision Thursday.

Malik Maitland's traditional three-point play made it 51-49 with 11:03 left as the Wildcats were able to slow R.J. Cole, Howard's MEAC Player Of The Year, after he scored 17 first-half points.

Bethea came off the bench and hit his first three from behind the arc, the last making it 66-55 with 4:27 left. Howard's biggest lead was 14 down the stretch.

BCU closed to 75-69 on Cletrell Pope's lay-up with 32 seconds left, but that's as close as the Wildcats could come.

Cole, who hit his first six shots, finished with 23 points, nine assists and six rebounds as Howard (17-15) advances to play Norfolk State in the semifinals
Friday.

Pope posted his 22nd double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Houston Smith scored 13 as Bethune-Cookman saw its season end at 14-17.
Maitland scored 12 and Shantrez Davis 11.

Maitland gave a BCU a 10-9 on a three-pointer with 16:01 left in the first half, but Howard used a 10-2 run for a 19-12 advantage they pushed to 36-25 at halftime.